OBSERVATIONS 

"  THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL :» 

eowTAivnro 
A  VINDICATION 

OP  THE 

AMERICAN  CONSTITUTIONS, 

AHD  DEFENDING  THE  BLE8SIHGI  OF 

RELIGIOUS  LIBERT?  AND  TOLERATION, 

A.OAIX8T   THE  ILLIBERAL  STRICTURES  OF  THE 

BEY.  SAMUEL  B.  \TYLIB. 


BY  WILLIAM  FETOLEY,  ESQ. 

MEMBER  OP  CONGRESS. 


PUBLISHED  BY  PATTERSON  &  HOPKINS. 
S.  Envies  &  Co.  Printer*. 


O-/ 

•     *TP" 


PREFACE. 


AT  appears  proper  to  inform  the  reader  of  the  occasion  that  called 
my  attention  to  the  book  called  **  Sons  of  Oil,"  and  why  I  consi- 
dered it  as  a  duty  incumbent  on  me  to  offer  the  following  Observa- 
tions on  that  work ;  and  also  why  it  has  been  so  long  delayed,  after 
it  had  been  expected.  With  respect  to  the  first,  though  I  had  seen 
the  Sons  of  Oil  advertised  in  the  newspapers  for  sale,  yet  being  pos- 
sessed of  other  approved  commentaries  on  the  symbolical  vision  of 
the  prophecy  of  Zechariah,  on  which  it  is  founded,  I  had  not  curi- 
osity enough  to  purchase  it,  and  did  not,  for  some  years,  hear  of  its 
singular  import  and  effect. 

It  was,  I  believe,  in  die  year  1808,  that  a  very  respectable  and 
intelligent  neighbour,  who,  in  a  public  company,  where  the  govern- 
ment and  laws  of  the  state,  and  United  States,  had  been  very  rudely 
misrepresented;  and  while  he  was  endeavouring  to  explain  and 
vindicate  them,  lie  was  told  by  some  of  the  company,  that  il  they 
•hould  kill  him  that  instant,  we  had  no  law  to  punish  such  murder, 
fitc.  He  informed  me  of  it,  and  consulted  me  about  the  propriety 
of  taking  surety  of  the  peace  of  such  boasters  of  the  impunity  with 
which  they  could  commit  wilful  murder.  Neither  my  neighbour, 
nor  myself,  having  seen  the  Sons  of  Oil,  from  which  it  was  said  they 
hail  their  authority,  I  was  of  the  opinion  that  they  had  mistaken 
the  author,  and  that  these  boasts  were  but  an  ebullition  of  fully  and 
ignorance,  and  would  have  no  dangerous  effect.  1  advised,  there- 
fore, to  pass  it  over  without  further  notice.  Not  long  after  this,  how- 
ever, I  heard  the  [xnson  hud  a  mure  extensive  influence  in  different 
quarters  where  the  book  had  spread — but  my  attention  was>  parti- 
cularly called  to  the  subject  by  an  intelligent  magistrate,  iu  u  dis- 
tant county  to  the  westward,  who,  bcm^  utucktd  iu  lii* 


M\ 


1V  PREFACE. 

manner  that  my  neighbour  had  been,  endeavoured  in  vain  to  cott- 
rince  them  of  their  error,  by  explaining-  the  law  of  the  state  respect- 
Ing-  murder ;  but  he  found  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Sons  of  Oil  was 
too  powerful  for  his  statement,  or  explanation  of  the  law.  He  pro- 
cured  a  perusal  of  the  book  itself,  and  carefully  took  notes  of  it, 
*'ith  which  he  furnished  me  a  copy,  accompanied  with  a  request,  to 
turn  my  attention  to  the  subject.  This  was  not  the  first  advice  that 
was  given  me  to  that  purpose  ;  but,  thoug-h  astonished  at  the  notes, 
without  having-  the  least  doubt  of  their  correctness,  yet  I  could  not, 
on  the  notes  alone,  proceed  to  make  observations  on  the  book  itself. 
In  the  mean  time,  however,  the  intelligent  farmer  who  took  the 
notes,  published,  while  on  a  journey,  a  very  small  pamphlet  from 
them,  called  the  "  Ploiigh-B^  which,  it  afterwards  appeared, 
had  the  good  effect  of  putting  a  stop  to  the  wicked  boasting  of  the 
impunity  with  which  they  could  commit  wilful  murder.  Those  of 
Mr.  Wylie's  church,  who  did,  on  different  occasions,  boast  in  this 
Bianner,  I  am  persuaded,  must  have  been  the  most  ignorant  and 
vicious  of  the  society— for  I  am  acquainted  with  such  of  them  as 
Would  be  very  far  from  disturbing  the  peace  of  society  ;  but  why 
should  such  a  disposition  be  promoted  by  a  professed  minister  of 
the  gospel,  at  the  expense  of  truth  ? 

The  books  having  been  taken  awny  from  the  office  at  which 
they  had  been  advertised  for  sale,  I  had  difficulty  to  find  a  copy — 
and  when  I  did  procure  one,  I  found  that  the  half  of  the  mischief, 
which  it  was  calculated  to  promote,  had  not  been  told  me;  that  it 
not  only  grossly  misrepresented  the  government  and  laws  of  the 
United  States  in  general,  but  more  particularly  that  of  Penns}iva- 
nia.  The  encouragement  given  to  people  so  disposed,  to  kill  their 
neighbours  with  expectation  of  impunity,  and  for  slaves  to  kill  their 
masters,  are  but  a.  few,  out  of  numerous  instances,  of  the  insidious 
sunders  which  his  book  contains.  If  teaching  to  resist  the  ordi- 
nance of  legitimate  civil  government,  to  refuse  to  obey  the  magis- 
trates, for  conscience  sake,  from  whom  they  receive  and  claim  pro- 
tection ;  if  despising  dominion,  speaking  evil  of  dignities,  and 
stirring  up  sedition,  are  contrary,  not  only  to  the  moral  law,  but 
also  to  the  precepts  of  the  gospel,  the  Sons  of  Oil  is  certainly  so, 
On  a  first  perusal  of  it,  I  thought  these,  together  with  the  nume- 
rous inconsistencies  it  contains,  mu*t,  to  every  dispassionate  en- 


PREFACE.  v 

quircr,  l>e  so  harmless,  as  to  render  an  antidote  unnecessary.  But 
when  I  considered  the  artful  sophistry,  tinselled  over  with  spurious 
religious  zeal,  equal  at  least  to  that  practised  by  the  most  bigotted 
popish  missionaries,  set  off' with  an  unusual  number  of  notes  of  as- 
tonishment, supported  by  the  most  unprincipled  declamation; 
when  I  also  considered,  that  besides  the  influence  it  has  had  in 
drawing-  a  number  of  people  into  such  gross  immorality,  as  to 
think  and  boast  of  the  impunity  with  which  they  could  murder 
their  neighbours,  and  besides  being-  mostly  aliens,  as  he  says  (p. 
76)  having  drawn  away  many  respectable  citizens  from  their  alle- 
giance to  tlie  government,  and  from  discharging1  the  duties  of  citi- 
zenship, and  attending-  on  g-ospel  ordinances  as  formerly,  in  such 
churches  as  do  not  promote  the  same  excesses  with  themselves — 1 
say,  on  considering  these  tilings,  I  became  convinced  that  it  was  a 
duty  to  endeavour  to  prevent  the  delusion  from  taking-  such  deep 
root  as  to  draw  many  into  its  vortex,  and  disturb  the  peace  of  soci- 
ety, to  preserve  which,  civil  government  was  instituted,  with  the  di- 
vine approbation,  among-  men. 

It  would  have  been  desirable  that  some  other  person,  younger 
in  life,  and  having  more  leisure  than  me,  should  have  undertaken 
it;  but  it  so  happened,  that  I  was  pointed  out  for  tlxat  purpose  be- 
fore I  had  seen  the  book,  or  was  informed  of  the  extent  of  the  mis- 
chief it  was  likely  to  produce.  There  were,  indeed,  some  reasons 
for  this.  I  was  the  oldest  man  known  to  be  alive,  or  at  least  in  a  ca- 
pacity to  undertake  it,  that  was  educated  by  the  old  dissenters,  and 
under  the  inspection  of  the  reformed  presbytery  of  Scotland  (there 
being  no  reformed  presbytery  in  the  north  of  Ireland  when  I  left  it.) 
likewise  one  of  the  oldest  men  living,  who  associated  with, 
and  was  a  member  of  the  conferences  of  those  who  had,  in  this 
countn ,  sought  for  and  obtained  a  supply  of  ministers  from  that 
prcshviery  ;  and  also  one  of  the  few  survivors  of  those,  who,  more 
than  lorry  years  ago,  promoted  the  revision  of  that  testimony  in 
this  countn,  and  svith  the  presbyters,  when  such  was  constituted, 
rejected  all  local  and  traditionary  terms  of  communion,  founded  on 
human  fallible  authority,  and  took  the  scriptures  and  the  doctrines 
of  the  Westminster  Confession,  &c.  agreeing  with  scripture,  as  the 
terms  of  their  communion  ;  and  the  only  survivor  of  that  reform- 
ed presbytery,  who,  a  few  years  afterwards,  assibted  in  bringing 
A3 


Ti  PREFACE. 

about  the  union  with  the  associate  presbyteries,  which  constituted 
the  associate  reformed  synod,  designed  as  asteptoward.su  union 
of  all  the  presbyterian  body  who  professed  the  same  faith  of  the 
gt>spel.  My  personal  knowledge  of  these  things  pointed  it  out  a» 
my  duty,  to  vindicate  them  from  the  doctrines  contained  in  the  Sons 
of  Oil.  Having-  been  also  engaged  in  the  early  committees,  &.C. 
which  promoted  the  independence  of  the  United  States,  and  in 
making-  or  ratifying  the  constitutions  of  this  state  and  of  the  United 
States,  and,  for  a  long  period,  in  legislating-  on  the  one  or  other  of 
them,  it  appeared  to  be  my  duty  to  engage  in  then*  vindication, 
when  they  were  so  grossly  traduced.  These  reasons  had  such 
weight  in  my  own  mind,  as  to  induce  me  to  make  observations  on 
this  extraordinary  work,  notwithstanding  that  my  other  engage- 
ments, and  time  of  life,  might  have  afforded  a  strong  apology  for 
declining  it. 

The  old  dissenters,  from  whom  I  am  descended,  were  a  very 
pious  people,  exact  in  their  morals,  and  so  inoffensive  in  their  de- 
portment, that  they  were  treated  with  great  respect  and  sympathy 
by  their  neighbours ;  but  when  they  came  to-  have  ministers,  and 
their  numbers  increased,  their  respectability  had  not  a  proportion- 
able increase;  they  began  to  make  some  deviations,  seemingly  in- 
consistent with  their  testimony ;  they  began  to  consider  paying 
tithes  to  the  episcopal  clergy,  whom  they  did  not  acknowledge,  as 
compounding  with  a  robber — as  Mr.  Wylie  does  with  paying  road 
and  county  taxes,  of  which  he  and  his  people  receive  equal  benefit 
with  others,  lint  though,  because  of  the  rescinding  of  the  cove- 
nants, the  establishment  of  episcopacy,  and  the  king's  headship 
over  the  church,  the  reformed  presbytery  of  Scotland  disowned 
the  authority  of  the  civil  government;  they  did  not  like  those  who 
assume  that  name  in  this  country,  claim  its  protection ;  they  did  not 
apply  to  courts  or  magistrates  for  the  recovery  of  debts,  damages, 
&.C.  or  the  protection  of  constables  to  their  presbytery,  as  those  as- 
suming that  name  do  in  this  country.  Doing  so,  was  there  esteem- 
ed highly  censurable  ;  they  did  not  act  so  inconsistent  a  part  as  to 
claim  protection  where  they  refused  allegiance.  They,  indeed,  la- 
boured under  mistakes  by  trusting  to  tradition.  They  believed  tliat 
not  only  the  solemn  league  and  covenant,  but  even  the  national  co- 
venant of  Scotland,  neither  of  which  were  ever  taken  by  the  king- 


PREFACE.  rii 

dom  of  Ireland,  or  their  representatives,  were  binding  on  that  na- 
tion. They  appear  to  have  been  led  into  this  mistake-  by  reading 
the  title  of  the-  solemn  league,  affixed  to  it  by  the  commit' 
Scotland  and  England,  who  prepared  that  instrument,  but  to  uliicii 
Ireland  never  acceded  ;  and  also  by  the  local  testimonies  of  the  suf- 
ferers in  Scotland,  of  those  who  laboured  under  the  same  mi 
They  also  believed  that  those  covenants  were  legally  taken  in 
England,  agreeable  to  the  constitution  of  that  nation— whereas  the 
solemn  league  was  only  taken  by  authority  of  an  ordinance  of  par- 
liament, which  IK-V.T  became  a  law,  and  for  which  the  clergy  of 
England,  which  were  deprived  of  their  lirings,  and  persecuted 
under  Charles  II.  to  more  than  five  times  the  number  of  the  clergy 
land,  who  were  deprived,  on  the  same  occasion,  and  perse- 
cuted also  tor  not  complying-  with  prelacy,  never  during-  tliat  perse- 
cution, nor  after  it  ceased,  claimed  the  legal  obligation  of  that  cove- 
nant on  England.  With  the  national  covenant,  England  and  Ireland 
never  had  any  concern.  Upwards  of  fifty  of  the  English  presbyte- 
rian  ministers,  many  of  them  very  eminent  divines,  whose  work* 
yet  praise  them,  outlived  the  persecution,  and  afterwards  enjoyed 
protection ;  but  none  of  these  ever  set  up  a  claim  to  the  solemn 
<f  legal  or  moral  obligation,  or  as  a  term  of  Christian 
communion,  as  the  old  dissenters  in  Scotland  did. 

TiK-y  were  also  under  a  mistake  in  believing,  that  any  act  of  a 
human  fallible  legislature  could  be  in  its  own  nature  unchangeable, 
thus  setting  human  authority  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  un» 
changeable  dod  ;  or  that  one  legislature  had  not  equal  authority  to 
revise  or  r  ,  as  another  had  to  make  it ;  or  that  either 

law-makers  or  subjects  had  a  moral  right  to  engage,  by  oath,  to 
to  make  rules  of  conduct  unchangeable,  which  \\cre,  by  the  provi- 
dence of  Ciod,  rendered  changeable  in  their  own  natures.  Into  this 
mistake  they  were  led  by  the  unhallowed  union  of  church  and 
state,  and  the  misapplication  of  the  Sinai  covenant.  The  old  dissen- 
ters being  lev/  in  number,  and  left  without  a  minister,  when  they 
commenced  their  testimony  in  Scotland  against  the  establishment 
of  church  and  state,  in  1689,  had  not  the  opportunity  of  correct  in- 
formation— correct  records  respecting  them  not  having  been  then 
published,  and  they  themselves  being  strongly  p;  •  in  fa- 

Tourof  national  churches.    TLeynoer,  however,  pretended  that 


rHi  PREPACK. 

the  obligation  of  these  covenants  extended  to  the  American  colo- 
nies (now  United  States)  nor  did  their  presbytery,  when  they  ob- 
tained one,  as  is  evident  from  their  judicial  testimony,  apply  it  to 
them.  Nor  did  they  ever  teach,  that  civil  protection  could  be  claim- 
ed, where  allegiance  was  not  due.  They  claimed,  indeed,  the  right 
of  native  born  citizens  of  Britain,  but  not  of  the  colonies.  The  new 
presbytery  which  lias  assumed  that  name  in  this  country,  howe- 
ver, has,  by  its  own  authority,  transferred  these  local,  and,  in 
their  own  nature,  changeable  obligations,  to  the  United  States, 
which  they  might,  with  equal  justice,  have  done  to  any  other  na- 
tion. They  have  also  taught  the  immoral  doctrine,  that  protection 
and  obedience  to  the  lawful  commands  of  the  civil  government  are 
not  of  reciprocal  obligation,  and  Mr.  Wylie  has  supported  this  doc- 
trine solely  from  a  misapplication  of  the  judicial  law  of  Moses,  and 
the  decrees  of  emperors  and  councils ;  and  he  has  appealed  to  the 
reformers  and  approved  commentators  for  the  support  of  his  doc- 
trine, without  giving  extracts  from  any  of  them. 

In  my  Observations  1  have  shewed,  from  the  prophets,  apostles, 
and  approved  commentators  and  reformers,  that  the  Sinai  covenant, 
including  the  judicial  hi w,  is  not  only  abolished,  but  that  it  never 
was  intended  for  any  people  but  Israel,  nor  for  any  country  but  the 
typically  holy  land  ;  and  that  even  there  it  did  not  authorise  perse- 
cution for  what  has  been  since  called  heresy,  &c.  That  the  Christian 
religion  authorises  no  persecution,  by  the  civil  magistrate,  for  reli- 
gious opinion ;  and  that  civil  magistrates  are  not  church  officers, 
nor  have  any  law-making  power  in,  or  over  the  church  of  Christ, 
&c.  I  have  also  endeavoured  to  shew  the  true  moral  foundation  of 
civil  magistracy.  For  these  purposes  I  have  inserted  a  few  extracts 
from  approved  commentators,  reformers,  and  church  history,  out 
»f  many  that  I  had  prepared;  and  have  also  endeavoured  to  refute 
his  numerous  mistaken  charges  against  the  governments  and  cha- 
racter of  this  country,  some  of  which  are  truly  slanderous,  and  to 
correct  and  explain  some  of  the  objections  which  he  supposes  we 
make  to  his  doctrine,  and  the  conduct  which  he  patronizes. 

The  sixth  chapter  chiefly  relates  to  the  rise  and  progress  of  the 
numerous  divisions  of  the  presbyterian  church,  while  they  all  pro- 
fess the  same  faith  of  the  gospel,  &c.  wherein  it  is  shewn  that  they 
all,  directly  or  indirectly,  have  originated  from  the  union  of  church 


PREFACE.  il 

anil  state,  viz.  political  establishments  of  certain  modes  of  religion, 
•nforced  by  civil  penalties  and  rewards  ;  awl  have  endeavoured  to 
demonstrate  the  impropriety  of  so  many  different  sects  holding  the 
same  faith,  worship,  government,  discipline  and  order,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  holding-  separate  church  commimion,  and  several  of 
them  treating  each  other  as  if  they  were  enemies  to  die  gospel  of 
Christ.  This  indeed  I  have  considered  us  :i  great  evil,  and  hare 
shewn  that  it  is  contrary  to  the  practice  of  the  primitive  church, 
and  of  the  reformers,  and  of  the  spirit  of  Christianity. 

I  have  used  tiie  word  *cct  instead  of  denomiruition,  not  a*  a 
term  of  reproach,  :is  it  is  applied  to  those  who  separate  from  a  reli- 
gion established  by  human  authority,  which  happily  has  no  place  in 
this  country,  but  as  a  term  of  distinction,  as  it  is  used  in  the  New- 
Testament  In  this  country  all  denominations  are  equally  sects.  In 
Britain  all  are  sects  or  sectarians,  who  separate  from  the  establish- 
ment. 

In  page  42,  I  have  commenced  sorrie  observations  on  a  manu- 
•cript  "  concerning-  toleration,"  and  in  the  last  chapter  I  have  men- 
tioned a  second  reformed  presbytery  in  thiis  country.  This  manu- 
script was  written  several  years  since,  by  a  respectable  elder  of  that 
communion,  and  sent  to  me  for  an  answer,  which,  as  it  had  not  a 
tendency  to  disturb  the  public  peace,  like  the  "Sons  of  Oil,"  I 
then  declined — but  in  as  far  as  it  is  connected  with  that  work,  I 
have  taken  notice  of  it  in  the  following  Observations. 

As  these  Observatioas  were  expected  to  have  gone  sooner  to 
,  it  may  be  proper  to  offer  some  reasons  for  their  delay.  A* 
soon  as  I  could  procure  and  peruse  the  Sons  of  Oil,  I  commenced 
my  Observations  on  it.  But  as  he  has  appealed  to  the  reformers  and 
approved  commentators,  boasts  of  being  surrounded  with  a  great 
cloud  of  witnesses,  and,  throughout  the  whole,  states  himself  as 
the  advocate  of  the  reformation,  and  holds  up  all  who  do  not  agree 
with  him,  as  enemies  of  that  blessed  work,  I  thought  it  necessary 
cn'me  and  give  extracts  from  the  writings  of  the  reformers 
and  approved  commentators,  and  also  from  the  history  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  centuries,  which  lie  introduces 
as  the  period  of  the  greatest  perfection.  I  also  thought  it  proper  to 
introduce  the  doctrine  and  example  of  the  primitive  apostolic 
church,  which  he  has  wholly  passed  over,  except  in  so  far  as  he 


x  PREFACE. 

has  given  such  a  gloss  or  comment  on  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles, 
as  is  in  direct  contradiction  to  their  own  practice,  and  the  obvious 
meaning  of  the  words,  and  to  the  sense  in  wliich  they  have  been 
taken  in  all  the  protestant  Confessions  of  Faith,  and  by  all  protes- 
tant  commentators  to  wliich  I  have  had  access.  From  these  I  took 
such  numerous  extracts,  as,  with  my  own  observations,  would 
have  made  a  volume  much  larger  than  I  had  intended.  In  this  state 
the  work  was,  when  I  was  called  abroad  on  public  business  during 
the  winter,  and  also  during  several  of  the  summer  months,  and  the 
winter  following.  Some  family  distresses  also  occupied  my  atten- 
tion. 

Besides  the  above  reasons  for  delay,  I  was  informed  that  the 
presbytery  (of  wliich  Mr.  Wylie  was  a  member)  was  employed  in 
preparing  a  testimony  against  the  sins  and  errors  of  the  times,  and 
I  was  certain,  that  if  they  held  the  same  principles  with  the  reform- 
ed presbytery  of  Scotland,  they  must  testify  against  at  least  a  num- 
ber of  Mr.  Wyiie's  extravagant  errors,  and  from  his  books  being 
so  withdrawn  from  sale,  as  that  there  was  not  a  copy  left,  I  thought 
it  probable  that  he  himself  would  make  such  retraction  or  explana- 
tion, as  would  render  my  observations  unnecessary.  I  had  heard, 
above  two  years  ago,  that  this  testimony  was  in  some  hands,  but 
never  saw  it  advertised  for  sale,  and  I  did  not  suppose  that  such  a 
candle  was  lighted  to  be  put  under  a  bushel.  However,  when  on  a 
journey  after  harvest,  1810,  while  I  lay  by  to  rest,  I  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  the  perusal  of  that  testimony,  and  found  that  the  author  of 
the  Sons  of  Oil  was  still  sustained  as  a  regular  member  of  that 
presbytery,  and  observed  that  no  censure  was  passed  on  his  book 
of  errors — I  then  justly  considered  that  presbytery  as  responsible 
for  them,  and,  on  my  return  home,  set  about  revising  and  making 
an  abstract  of  the  work,  which,  in  the  first  draught,  was  too  exten- 
sive for  the  design.  Numerous  extracts  from  approved  commenta- 
tors, &c.  were  withdrawn,  and  so  many  only  retained  as  carried  the 
doctrine  of  protestants  down  from  the  commencement  of  the  refor- 
mation, to  the  present  day.  Observations  on  many  positions  in  the 
Sons  of  Oil,  of  minor  importance,  were  also  suppressed,  and  the 
printing  engaged — but  the  printing  press  was  not  set  up  till  a  few 
months  since. 

My  object  was,  to  promote  truth  and  peace  in  both  church  and 


PREFACE.  ri 

state.  In  the  church,  it  was  to  bring1  Christians  to  the  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  scriptures,  as  the  sole  rule  of  their  faith  and  practice, 
and  the  sure  foundation  of  their  hope,  and  to  oppose  terms  of  hold- 
ing communion  with  Christ,  in  the  ordinances  of  his  own  institu- 
tion, imposed  by  human  authority,  whether  that  authority  bears  the 
name  of  papist  or  of  protestant;  and  in  the  state,  to  promote  a 
scriptural  and  reasonable  obedience  to  legitimate  government  and 
equal  laws,  so  that  all  men  might  be  protected  in  leading  quiet  and 
peaceable  lives  in  godliness  and  honesty,  and  the  government  itself 
protected  from  slander  and  sedition. 

WILLIAM  FINDLEY. 
NOVEMBER  1,  1811. 


OBSERVATIONS,  &c. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  tcit  explained—  Of  the  moral  law  of  nature  —  Of  positive  lain  — 
executed  In  ii.un,  IK-  long1  to  positive  law  —  Civil 
founded  on  the  .aw  of  nature  —  IVruliaj-   I..-1 

and    abohs)-ed-  -Christ's  ddcg-ated   power  cx- 
U  i|  —  The  iiiuu-istraU  \s  power  to  ratify  und  sanction  the  laws 
•f  tlic  Moat  High  God  examined. 


HE  Reverend  Author  of  "  7%<?  /wo   Sons  of 

r  tht  faithful  ivUncss  for  ministry  and  magistracy 

itfion  a   scri/tfural  baxis,"   introduces  the   subject  by  a 

from  the  prophecy  of  Zechariah,  chap.  4,  vcr.  14. 

k*  Then  said  he,  these  are  the  two  anointed  ones,  that 

stand  by  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth." 

Of  his  analysis  of  this  text,  and  his  premises  drawn 
from  it,  I  will  only  observe  here,  that  he  makes  it 
the  foundation  of  his  system,  viz.  That  the  gospel 
ministry,  and  civil  magistracy,  are  not  distinct  govern- 
ments, but  component  branches  of  one  government. 
To  this  purpose,  page  8,  he  says,  "  This  universal  do- 
minion committed  to  liim,  (Christ)  as  it  respects  the 
human  family,  in  its  administrations,  consists  in  two 
great  branches,  namely,  the  magistracy  and  the  mi- 
nistry." As  he  afterwards  more  fully  explains  and 
applies  this  doctrine,  I  will  take  no  further  notice  of 
B 


1.4  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

it  in  this  place,  than  just  to  observe  one  error  in  his 
statement.  The  church  of  Christ,  and  the  gospel  mi- 
nistry are  not,  as  the  autiior  says,  committed  to  Christ. 
The  gospel  ministers  are  appointed  to  feed  the  church 
of  Christ,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own 
blood.  The  church  is  his  purchased  possession.  It  is 
the  body  of  Christ,  of  which  believers  are  members. 
It  is  his  kingdom,  which  is  not  of  this  world,  &c.  We 
read  of  the  word  of  reconciliation,  and  a  dispensation 
of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  being  committed  to  the  minis- 
ters of  Christ,  as  ambassadors  from  him ;  but  not  of 
the  church  being  committed  to  him.  It  is  his  own 
house,  in  which  Moses  and  the  apostles  were  servants. 
It  is  not  committed  as  a  trust.  It  is,  by  virtue  of  union, 
his  body,  his  spouse. 

The  real  meaning  of  this  text,  on  which  the  au- 
thor erects  such  a  visionary  superstructure,  I  will 
offer  in  the  words  of  the  learned  and  judicious  Scott, 
in  his  notes  on  the  place. 

"  The  prophet  was  still  ignorant  of  the  meaning  of 
the  two  olive-trees,  especially  of  those  branches  from 
which  the  oil  was  immediately  conveyed  to  the  lamps ; 
and  on  enquiry  he  learned,  that  they  were  the  two 
anointed  ones,  which  stood  before  the  Lord  of  the 
whole  earth.  Zerubbabel  and  Joshua,  the  anointed  ruler 
and  high-priest  of  Judah,  who  stood  before  the  Lord, 
and  were  his  instruments  in  the  work  of  the  temple, 
•were  the  anointed  ones  intended :  but  they  were  only 
types  and  shadows  (as  the  temple  itself  was)  of  him 
that  was  to  come.  They  therefore  typified  Christ,  as 
anointed  with  the  Holy  Spirit  without  measure,  to  be 
the  king  and  high-priest  of  the  church,  and  to  build, 
illuminate  and  sanctify  the  spiritual  temple.  As  the 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  t)IL.  1  j 

anointed  high-priest,  he  purchased  those  gifts  by  the 
sacrifice  of  himself;  and  through  his  intercession  in 
heaven,  they  are  communicated  by  him  as  the  anointed 
kiiii^  of  his  church.  From  the  union  of  these  two  of- 
fices in  his  mysterious  person,  both  God  an-1  man,  this 
inexhaustible  fulness  of  grace  is  derived  and  conferred. 
Thus  the  olive  branches  of  themselves  distil  the 
golden  oil  through  the  two  golden  pipes  into  the  bowl : 
and  from  his  fulness  all  receive  that  grace  which  they 
ic(juire  for  their  several  places  and  services,  through 
the  means  of  grace,  as  the  seven  pipes  fed  the  i 
lamps  of  the  candlestick.  It  is  plain,  that  the  can- 
dlestick is  the  Jewish  church. both  civil  and  religious  ; 
and  the  oil  with  which  the  lamps  were  supplied,  is 
the  Spirit  of  God:  and  is  it  not  equally  plain,  that 
Zerubbabel  and  Joshua  were  in  these  transactions  typi- 
cal persona,  types  of  Christ  our  king  and  high  priest.'* 
See  also  the  venerable  Henry  to  the  same  purpose. 

The  vision  was  for  the  encouragement  of  the  Jew- 
ish church  and  nation,  then  newly  emerged  out  of 
captivity,  and  was  suited  to  that  'symbolical  ueconomy 
under  which  they  were  placed  during  the  continuance 
of  the  theocracy,  or  immediate  government  of  Jehovah, 
in  another  and  more  peculiar  manner  than  other 
nations  were,  and  which  was  to  continue  until  Christ 
the  antitype  should  come  and  fulfil  all  that  was  pre- 
figured of  him  by  that  typical  (economy?  and  introduce 
the  new  covenant,  or  gospel  dispensation.  \\ 
Israel  was  brought  out  of  Egypt  into  the  waste  and 
rncss,  they  were  constituted  a  peculiar 
and  holy  n.u'u,n.  k>  And  ye  shall  be  unto  me  a  kingdom 
of  priests,  and  an  holy  nation."  Exod.  xix.  6.  Thi.-. 

.livine  proposal ;  and  utter  they  had  been  ceremo- 


OBSERVATIONS  OH 

nially  sanctified,  and  had  heard  the  law  of  the  ten 
commandments,  which  is  a  compend  of  the  moral  law 
of  nature,  pronounced  with  an  audible  voice,  from  the 
lop  of  Sinai,  with  tremendously  awful  accompani- 
ments, and  had  publicly  announced  their  cordial  ac- 
ceptance of  the  divine  proposal,  the  peculiar  national 
covenant,  whereby  they  were  constituted  in  their  na- 
tional character,  a  kingdom  of  priests  and  a  holy 
nation,  was  wrote  in  a  book,  and  consecrated  by  the 
shedding  of  blood.  See  Exod.  xxiv.  and  Heb.  ix.  15.  22. 
Many  ordinances  were  added  to  this  covenant,  which 
were  received  by  Moses  in  the  mount,  and  afterwards 
in  the  tabernacle,  and  all  was  again  ratified  about  forty 
years  after.  Sec  Deut.  v.  No  permanent  additions 
were  afterwards  made,  except  for  the  building  of  the 
temple  instead  of  the  tabernacle,  (2  Sam.  vii.  18.)  and 
adding  psalmody  and  music,  both  vocal  and  instru- 
mental, to  the  stated  worship,  by  express  divine  au- 
thority. 2  Chron.  xxix.  25* 

In  this  covenant,  a  standing,  hereditary  priesthood 
and  numerous  symbolical  rites  were  added  to  the  an- 
eient  sacrificial  worship,  as  well  as  the  sanction  of 
temporal  rewards  and  punishments,  and  the  immediate 
divine  presence  in  the  sanctuary,  to  deliver  oracles 
•when  sought  in  difficult  cases,  according  to  the  due 
order  ;  and  a  succession  of  prophets,  until  the  great 
prophet  should  come  with  power  to  change  the  system, 
•Was  engaged.  A  civil  magistracy,  of  very  limited  au- 
thority, was  instituted,  and  of  a  peculiar  form.  It 
was  not  sovereign ;  it  had  no  legislative  authority  : 
and  it  is  in  this  that  sovereignty  consists  in  all  civil 
governments.  They  could  not  add  to,  or  diminish  from, 
the  code  of  laws,  without  immediate  divine  authority. 


THE    TWO   SON'S    OF    OW-. 

,'id,  a  king  according  •  d   .t 

Spirit  o,  .  could  not 

Id  stat 

kil    authority    from    (. 
prophets.     The  civil  government  t!r  r  this 

-  wholly  i  and  judiciary  ;   and  in 

all  important'  inected  <  with  the  pri 

a  decision  in  judgment  could  not  be   given  i1.-. 
xeepl  in  a  CMiiri  \\  ! 

•lent  mei'  ''iey  could  not 

!mut  a  priest  to  make  the  proclamation 
,  in  that  case  provided.   A  leprosy  - 
be  cured,   a  <  ..lousy  between  a  man 

could  not  be  decided,  nor  uncertain  minder  ex- 

d,   but    by   tiie   priest.    The    priests  and  Levitcs 

the  rep'  of  the  laws — they  we rt  \\rote  in 

:ul  laid  up  with  them.    Even  when  it  pl> 
(iod,  ing  t'icm  tor  the  attempt,  to 

•A ing  was  not  p<T- 
miti'-  'iy  ;  that  is  t< 

was  directed  to  take  a  copy  of 
•with  tii-.  and  Lr\  iu-s  ;  anrl 

•ulcl  not  :  .  !ites  held 

le,  to  them  and  their  heirs,  they 
not  permitted  to  •  Li  of  the  fields  or 

vine)  first 

fruits.     In  short,  v  words  of  the  justly  < 

(1  II.  Wi  :  IDg  of  the  Je-.\  ish  i 

••  TL<  r  the  g; ^ 

•  h  v,  hich  almost  the  whole  polity 
• 

I  admit  that  the  author  mighty  without 

id,  that  the  n,  and 


18  OBSERVATIONS  O^ 

ministry,  under  the  immediate  government  of  God,  viz. 
the  peculiar  theocracy  of  Israel,  were  two  great 
branches  of  that  symbolical  government,  if  he  had  ex- 
plained what  he  meaned  by  branches,  lie  certainly 
could  not  wish  to  impose  on  his  people  so  far,  as  to 
induce  them  to  believe,  that  the  word  branches,  thus 
applied,  is  a  scriptural  term*  Under  the  Jewish  polity, 
priests  were  instituted  to  conduct  the  symbolical  wor- 
ship, and  to  decide  in  courts  of  justice  ;  whereas,  in 
former  times,  every  worshipper,  such  as  Noah,  Abra- 
ham, Job,  Sec.  were  priests  for  their  own  families. 
Melchiscdec  is  the  only  person  recorded,  as  by  office, 
the  priest^of  the  most  high  God,  before  the  institution 
of  the  Aaronic  priesthood ;  and  before  that  priesthood 
-was  established,  Moses,  the  most  eminent  type  of 
Christ,  as  mediator  and  lawgiver  in  his  own  house, 
acted  the  part  of  both  priest,  prophet  and  civil  magis- 
trate, and  was  a  type  of  Christ  in  all  his  offices.  But 
after  this  institution,  the  administration  under  Jehovah, 
their  peculiar  king,  was  distributed  into  different  parts 
or  portions,  of  which  the  priesthood  took  the  highest 
hereditary  rank,  and  the  Levites  the  next ;  but  wholly 
distinct  in  their  offices,  except  that  they  were  equally 
connected  as  constituent  members  in  the  supreme 
court  of  civil  justice,  and  in  being  the  official  reposi- 
tories of  the  laws. 

Every  city  was  enjoined  to  appoint  local  judges, 
from  whose  decision  an  appeal  lay  to  the  supreme 
<court,  composed  of  priests  and  Levites,  assisted  by 
such  chief  judge  as  Jehovah  their  king  should  appoint ; 
which  was  sometimes  a  priest. 

When  kingly  government  was  introduced,  against 
the  approving  will  of  Jehovah  their  king,  and  of  Sa- 


THE   TWO   SONS  OF  OIL. 

muel  his  prophet,  they,  as   -was   expressly  foretold  by 
Samuel,   became,    in    a   great    measure,  and 

usurped  e  .  er  but  that  oi'  the  priests  ;  and 

from  them  the  judiciary  power  in  many  cases,  which 
was  protected  by  the  immediate  dhine  interposition, 
as  in  the  case  of  Uza  and  Uziah.  Nor  did  the  pious 
kings  usurp  the  power  of  making  laws.  Zc-rubbabcl,  of 
the  royal  line  of  David,  like  his  great  ancestor,  was 
honoured  with  being  a  very  distinguished  type  of  the 
•  ur.  In  the  fufanifc«*fibrc,J4Miu»4  and  Zerub! 

•  •rly   represented  as  types  of  Christ,  in 
his  priestly  and  kingly  offices.  Zervibbubel  was  the  . 
repn  of  Cyrus,  king  of  Persia,  at  that  time 

the  B<  of  all  the  countries  formerly  subject  to 

Babylon,  as  Ezra  and  Nehemiah  afterwards  were  ;  and 
while  he  was  honoured  so  far  as  to  be  the  repr 
tative  of  the  king  of  Persia,  he  was  still  more  highly 
honoured  with  being  proclaimed,  by  the  prophet,  a 
type  of  a  greater  than  Cyrus,  but  whose  kingdom  was 
not  of  this  world. 

The  author,  surely,  will  not  pretend  that  Zcrubba- 
bel,  though  of  the  stock  and  lineage  of  David,  and  the 
last  of  the  royal  race  that  enjoyed  civil  distinction, 
•f  hereditary  succession  from  David. 
lie  was  a  subordinate  and  temporary  governor,  sub- 
ject to  the  control  of  the  governors  on  that  side  of  the 
river,  and  the  supreme  direction  of  the  king  by  whom 
lie  was  appointed. 

Artaxerxes,  the  most  favourable  to  the  Jews,  for 

the  greatest  length  of  time,  of  all  the  Mcdio-Persian 

kings,  (probably   the    same   a-s   Ahasuerus)  appointed 

Ezra,  a  priest,  to  be  governor  of  Jiicica;  and  after  him, 

.miah,  once  and  again:  both  excellent  appoint- 


20  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

ments,  but  none  of  them  of  the  royal  line.  In  short, 
Zerubbabel,  as  the  representative  of  Cyrus,  in  restor- 
ing the  Jewish  church  and  nation,  which  had  been 
scattered  abroad  throughout  all  the  nations  of  the* 
east,  was  a  very  fit  type  of  Christ,  who  came  to  re- 
store, and  build  up  the  dispersed  tribes  of  Israel  from 
all  nations,  tongues,  and  kindred.  Melchisedec,  who 
was  a  Gentile,  and  not  after  the  order  of  Aaron,  was 
selected  as  a  very  striking  type  of  the  Redeemer. 
Cyrus  himself  is  selected  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  to 
prefigure  the  Saviour.  "  I  have  raised  him  up  in 
righteousness,  and  I  will  direct  all  his  ways :  he  shall 
build  my  city,  and  he  shall  let  go  my  captives,  not  for 
price  or  reward."— Isaiah  Iv.  15,  Sec. 

I  have  heretofore  believed,  that  it  was  generally 
admitted  by  Christians,  that  the  typical  priesthood  of 
Melchisedec,  and  the  typical  redemption  wrought  by 
the  Medio-Persian  kings,  prefigured,  and  wras  a  pre- 
lude to,  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles.  Surely,  the  reve- 
rend author  will  not  pretend  that  Zerubbabel  was  the- 
actually  anointed  king  of  Israel,  or  exercised  sove- 
reign power.  Even  Joshua  could  not  have  been  anoint- 
ed and  inaugurated  into  the  priesthood,  according  to 
the  law  of  Moses,  in  the  sanctuary,  and  with  the  holy 
oil.  There  was  no  sanctuary,  and  the  Urim  and  Thum- 
mim,  the  fire  which  first  descended  from  Heaven,  the 
ark  of  the  covenant,  and  other  precious  arcana,  were 
lost ;  therefore  the  anointing  of  Joshua  and  Zerubbabel 
was  not  such  a  ceremonial  anointing  as  that  of  Aaron, 
Saul,  David,  8cc.  but  a  providential  designation  to 
those  offices,  in  such  circumstances  as  rendered  them 
suitable  types  of  the  Saviour.  I  may  here  be  permitted 
to  addj  that  the  loss  of  those  precious  arcana,  the  visi- 


THE  TWO  SONS- OF   OIL.  21 

ble  symbols  of  divine  presence  and  glory,  while  it  was 
an  awful  correction  for  the  breach  of  the  national  cove- 
nant, indicated  the  final  abrogation  of  that  system, 
which,  being  only  a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come, 
was  seen  to  vanish  away  ;  and  also  prepared  the  minds 
of  believers  4o  expect  the  new  covenant  dispensation, 
foretold  by  the  prophets,  and  the  greater  glory  of  the 
latter  temple  also  foretold. 

Though  these  two  typical  anointed  ones  represent- 
ed the  kingly  and  prophetical  offices  of  the  Saviour, 
they  were  not  constituted  such  by  the  law  of  Moses, 
is  was  the  sovereign,  in  a  much  more  extensive 
sense  of  that  term,  than  any  king  of  Judah  ever  could 
have  been  under,  or  agreeable  to,  the  Mosaic  law. 
Zerubbabel  was  his  honorary  servant,  acting  under  his 
instructions,  and  solely  by  his  authority ;  and  by  the 
same  authority,  the  progress  of  the  work  was  stopped, 
and  renewed,  or  suspended,  viz.  at  the  discretion  of 
the  Persian  kings;  so  that  the  building  of  the  city  was 
not  completed  till  about  ninety  years  after  the  procla- 
n  oi'  Cyrus,  and  long  alter  the  death  of  Zerubba- 
bel. I  only  add,  in  this  place,  that  facts  must  not  be 
permuted  to  bend  to  fanciful  theories.  Admitting, 
but  not  granting,  that  Zerubbabel  had  even  sat  on 
the  regal  throne  of  his  great  ancestors,  David  and 
Solomon,  possessed  of  their  independence  and  sur- 
rounded with  all  their  splendour,  it  would  have  made 
no  difference,  as  to  the  general  argument,  respecting 
civil  government,  as  instituted  under  the  moral  law  of 
nature.  Every  tiling  in  the  law  oi  Moses,  superadcled 
to  the  moral  law  of  nature,  is  positive  or  voluntary  ; 
and,  therefore,  changeable,  according  to  circumstances 
and  the  will  of  the  supreme  legislator  j  and  even  . 


--  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

while  they  continued,  they  were  only  applicable  to  the 
cases,  place,  and  circumstances,  for  which  they  were 
intended  and  enacted.  Their  example  may  be  further 
applied,  but  their  authority  cannot. 

The  reverend  author  has,  throughout  his  whole 
book,  made  the  support  of  the  union  of  church  and 
state,  or,  in  other  words,  tyranny  over  both  the  souls 
and  bodies  of  men,  his  grand  object ;  and  (very  unwar- 
rantably indeed)  laid  the  foundation  of  his  system  on 
the  symbolical  text  just  examined.  I  have,  therefore, 
on  mature  deliberation,  thought  it  best  to  examine  the 
nature  and  obligations  of  the  peculiar  law,  or  covenant 
of  Israel,  on  all  mankind,  or  on  all  Christians,  and  at 
all  times,  before  I  proceed  to  other  observations  on 
bis  system. 

As  a  clear  and  exact  knowledge  of  the  moral  law 
of  nature  is  peculiarly  important,  in  order  to  under- 
stand the  whole  system  of  revealed  religion,  I  will 
state,  that  it  pleased  God  to  deliver,  on  Mount  Sinai,  a 
compendium  of  this  holy  law,  and  to  write  it  with  his 
own  hand,  on  durable  tables  of  stone.  This  law,  which 
is  commonly  called  the  ten  commandments,  or  deca- 
logue, has  its  foundation  in  the  nature  of  God  and  of 
man,  in  the  relation  men  bear  to  him,  and  to  each 
other,  and  in  the  duties  which  result  from  those  rela- 
tions ;  and  on  this  account  it  is  immutable  and  uni- 
versally obligatory.  Though  given  in  this  manner  to 
Israel,  as  the  foundation  of  the  national  covenant,  then 
about  to  be  entered  into,  it  demands  obedience  from 
all  mankind,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  conditions  of  life  ; 
and  the  whole  world  will  finally  be  judged  according  to 
it,  and  to  the  opportunity  they  had  of  being  acquaint- 
ed with  it,  whether  by  reason  and  tradition  alone,  or 


TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  23 

l>y  the  light  of  the  written  word.  This  law  is  spiritual. 
Teaching  to  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart.  It 
is  necessarily  the  foundation  of  all  transactions,  be- 
;i  the  Creator  and  his  rational  creatures;  and,  in 
this  case,  .  properly  revealed,  as  the  founda- 

tion of  the  covenant  of  peculiarity  with  Israel.  See 
Scott  on  Exod.  xx.  This  was  incorporated  in  the  judi- 
cial law,  as  far  as  divine  wisdom  thought  proper,  and 
is  explained  and  applied  by  the  Saviour,  and  by  the 
prophets  and  apost 

There  is  an  evident  distinction  between  moral 
precepts,  and  positive  or  voluntary  appointments.  The 
iirst  have  their  foundation  in  the  nature  of  God  and 
of  man,  and  are  unchangeable ;  the  second  in  the  free 
will  of  the  lawgiver,  and  might  not  have  been,  or 
might  have  been  otherwise,  as  the  lawgiver  thought 
proper,  and  arc  liable  to  be  changed  or  abolished,  at 
the  discretion  of  the  lawgiver ;  but  while  they  conti- 
nue, are  of  equal  obligation  with  moral  precepts,  ex- 
cept where  they  come  into  competition :  in  that 
case,  a  positive  institution  must  yield,  in  some  cases, 
to  the  unchangeable  law. 

Of  this  kind  were  all  the  additions  made  to 
the  moral  law,  by  the  Mosaic  institutions.  Yet  it  is 
upon  these,  almost  exclusively,  that  the  author  builds 
his  system ;  he  substitutes  them  for  the  moral  law ; 
he  makes  little  use  of  the  prophets,  and  none  of  the 
TeMamf.it,  except  to  pervert  it.  The  New 
iment  has  been  generally  understood  to  contain 
the  religion  of  Christians.  The  apostles  declare,  that 
the  Christian  church  is  built  on  the  foundation  of  the 
jirofihets  and  afiostles,  Jesus  Christ  himxclf  being  thf 
chief  corner  9(o*e  ;  and  that  the  law  of  peculiarity,  old 


£4  OBSERVATIONS  OS 

covenant,  or  testament,  is  abolished-)  taken  out  of  tlh 
way.  Sec.  The  author  declares  that  it  is  still  in  full 
force,  as  far  as  it  is  necessary  to  support  his  system, 
but  not  further :  he  admits  the  rest  to  have  been  abo- 
lished. Christ  himself  has  given  the  most  excellent 
summary  of  the  moral  law,  and  the  most  spiritual  and 
perfect  exposition  of  it,  and  declared  its  perpetual 
obligation.  The  apostles  have  incorporated  the  ten 
commandments  into  thtir  epistles,  and  enforced  their 
obligations  by  the  most  powerful  arguments  and  mo- 
tives ;  but  neither  the  Saviour  nor  his  apostles  have 
jnade  any  use  of  the  law  of  peculiarity,  except  to 
shew  that  its  requirements  were  fulfilled,  and  that  it 
was  abolished,  except  in  a  few  instances,  for  illustra- 
tion. The  apostles  no  where  enforce  obedience  to  its 
peculiar  precepts  as  penalties,  after  it  was  abolished 
by  the  death  of  Christ,  but  declare  it  to  be  dis- 
annulled. 

Positive  or  voluntary  laws  have  no  obligation, 
further  than  the  lawgiver  intended  that  they  should 
have,  because  all  the  authority  they  possess,  is  de- 
rived from  his  will  and  intention ;  where  this  stops, 
the  law  must  stop  with  it.  Now  the  intention  of  the 
Sinai  covenant  does  not  appear  to  have  extended 
beyond  the  Israelites  themselves ;  it  was  addressed 
colely  to  them,  and  calculated  to  operate  within 
bounds  expressly  prescribed,  and  could  not  be  put  in 
operation  elsewhere.  It  is  sanctioned  with  numerous 
and  severe  temporal  penalties,  several  of  which  were 
to  be  executed  by  the  civil  magistrate  and  the  wit- 
nesses, after  the  sentence  of  the  court,  and  some  of 
them  by  Jehovah  himself,  as  their  peculiar  king ;  and 
obedience  to  it  was  encouraged  by  numerous  tempo- 


THE 

vrards,  and  by  miraculous  protection.  They  v. 

of  success  in  wur,   of  fruitful    seasons, 
nothing  should  cast  their  young,  or  be  barren  among 
them,  kc.  Sec. 

The  moral  law  was  addressed  equally  to  all  men  in 
their  individual  character,  and  in  'Jar  mini'. 

•ushalt  have  no  other  god-  me* — u  Thou 

slum  n:.t    nvJf   unto  thce    graven  images" — "  Tliou 

V — 
lour  thy  > 

. 

puni-  T  this  \  k'  { 

will  not  In  ''-tjV 

Sec.    v 
ed  the  ol> 

:    hut  a  fulfill: 

•he  natio;.  —it  only  PI  cir- 

cumcision of  the   llcsh  ;    lh 

ion  the  ; 

i'/us  enforcers  oi 

dicncc  to  the   nior  The 

Phai 

own  traditions.  ThcSn-  ..\isofthr  : 

and  opposed  the  traditions.   Iloth  ol'  t 
terised,  by  the  Saviour,  as  very  immoral    ar.d  C; 

of  them  could  be   excluded   from 
comn  that  law. 

penalties  enacu-d  by    the   national  law  could 
he    executed    within    the    bounds    pn-scrib- 
.  chap.  :;•:  .      Jiin  tliesc  bounds. 

n,  as  in  other  places,   but  it  wis,  if 

Israelite,    trca?or, 

Jehovah,   as  their  peculiar  king.  The  iniquity  of  the 
C 


26  OBSERVATIONS  OJf 

devoted  nations  being  full,  they  were  to  be,  destroy- 
ed ;  but  no  authority  was  given  to  punish  idolatry 
out  of  those  limits,  nor  even  to  carry  their  own  worship 
out  of  the  typically  holy  land.  In  their  dispersions, 
they  taught  the  law  in  their  synagogues  ;  but  do  not, 
till  this  day,  put  in  practice  the  worship  enjoined  by 
the  lav/  of  Moses — the  place  being  an  essential  part 
of  the  institution. 

The  moral  law  is  equally  calculated  for,  and  ap- 
plied to,  all  persons,  in  all  places,  and  at  all  times ; 
and  £c;\ial!y  authorizes  the  worship  of  God,  in  all 
places,  by  ail  men,  in  all  situations ;  and  enjoined  a 
respect  to  every  discovery  of  his  Will,  and  institution 
of  his  appointment :  but  it  prescribes  no  penalties  to 
be  executed  by  man  for  the  breaches  of  it.  None  but 
God,  that  knows  the  heart,  can  judge  of  the  demerit: 
of  sin ;  because  it  doe's  not  consist  so  much  in  the 
physical  act,  as  in  the  will  and  intention,  of  which 
none  but  God  is  judge.  Fallible  judges  must  have 
recourse  to  overt  acts,  declarations  and  circum- 
stances, to  prove  the  concurrence  of  the  will,  or  in- 
tention of  the  heart,  and  may  be  often  mistaken.  The 
innocent  may  sometimes  suffer,  but  the  guilty  more 
frequently  escape  punishment.  God  only  is  the  un- 
erring judge. 

This  being  the  case,  it  follows  of  course,  that 
human  penalties  for  breaches  of  the  moral  law,  are  no 
part  of  that  law  itself,  as  it  relates  to  God  ;  he  will 
not  give  this  glory  to  another — nor  is  any  creature, 
man  or  angel,  competent  for  the  exercise  of  it. 

Penalties  to  be  executed  by  men  upon  their  fellow 
men,  arise  from  the  state  of  society,  they  being  ne- 
cessary for  the  peace  and  happiness  thereof;  they, 


THE 

therefore,  vary  in  every  society,  agreeable  to  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  society  itself,  and  the  prevalence  of 
vices,  by  which  its  safety  is  most  exposed  to  da' 
or  upon  its  competency  to  execute  such  penalties. 

In  a  state  of  nature,  before  the  existence  of  civil 
society,  no  such  penalties  could  have  been  executed; 
even  Men  being,  after  the 

first  pair,  introduced  by  natural  generation,  parental 
authority  was  sufficient,  until  they  became  capable  to 
act  for  themselves.  After  this  period,  we  know, by  the 
awful  example  of  Cain  killing  Abel  his  brother,  that  it 
vas  not  sufficient.  We  know,  likewise,  by  the  same 
example,  that  no  human  penalties  for  crimes  against 
society  then  existed:  indeed  it  was  not  sufach 
numerous  to  enact  laws  or  execute  penalties ;  there- 
fore God  took  the  case  of  the  infant  state  of  society 
into  his  own  hand,  and  inflicted  such  punishment  on 
the  murderer  as  he  judged  suitable  to  that  state  of 
society,  but  <  -d  prou  •  ;,  for 

• 

;  or,  from  tm  ,  he  banished  him- 

self. When  men  n.ultipli'  d  en  the  earth,  oppression 
and  other  crimes  prevailed  to  so  great  a  degree,  as  to 
have  rendered  human  laws  and  penalties  very  neces- 
sary ;  but  how  far  such  were  enacted  or  executed,  we 
are  not  informed.  The  degeneracy,  however,  being  so 
to  be  incurable  by  ordinary  means,  it  pleased 
God,  in  an  extraordinary  manner,  to  inflict  the  penalty 
of  death  on  the  whole  human  race,  with  the  exception 
of  one  family. 

In  this  second  infant  state  of  the  human  race,  too 
few  in  number  to  form  a  civil  society,  capable  of 
enacting  and  executing  penal  laws,  it  pleased  God 


OBSERVATIONS   OK 


himself,  among  other  precepts,  to  prescribe  death  to  be 
inflicted  by  man,  as  the  penalty  for  murder  ;  and  as 
there  were  not,  at  that  period,  civil  courts,  or  officers 
for  public  prosecution,  he  enjoined  the  brothers  (ex- 
plained to  include  others  near  of  kin)  of  the  deceased, 
to  execute  the  sentence,  under  the  penalty  of  God 
If  requiring  his  brother's  blood  at  his  hands,  as 
he  had  formerly  done  the  blood  of  Abel  at  the  hand  of 
Cain*  This  precept,  given  to  the  family  of  Noah,  then 
containing  the  whole  human  race,  is  still  in  substance 
equally  applicable  to  all  nations,  and  at  all  times.  It  is 
the  only  punishment  adequate  to  the  offence  ;  but  the 
appointment  of  the  brother,  or  near  of  kin,  to  be  the 
avenger  of  blood,  arose  from  the  then  state  of  society, 
and  pointed  out  the  expediency  of  civil  government, 
when  men  became  sufficiently  numerous  for  that  pur- 
pose. The  avenger  of  blood  would  not  distinguish 
ientiy  between  the  different  kinds  of  homicides ; 
and  this  would  produce  other  revenges,  as  it  still  does 
where  it  is  practised,  and  did  in  the  feudal  times  in 
Europe,  while  the  heads  of  families  or  clans  exercised 
the  right  of  avenging  their  own  wrongs,  or  that  of 
their  relations,  and  increased  the  shedding  of  human 
blood. 

Before  the  death  of  Noah,  and  long  before  the 
death  of  Shem,  we  find  numerous  civil  societies  were 
instituted  in  comparatively  small  territories;  that  pro- 
perty was  divided;  and  that,  consequently,  life  and 
property  and  civil  order  were  protected.  The  division 
of  languages,  about  101  years  after  the  flood,  necessa- 
rily promoted  the  division  and  settling  of  the  earth  by 
small  civil  societies.  We  find  them  very  numerous  in 


THE  TWO   SONS  OF  OIL.  ~9 

the  days  of  Abraham,  433  years  after  the  flood,  ami 
while  Shcin  was  yet  alive. 

About  857  years  after  the  flood,  when  it  p:< 
God  to  constitute  the  Israelitish  branch  of  the  family 
of  Abraham,  (to  whom  he  had  Ion 55  afforded  special 
protection,  and  given  special  promises)  a  distinct  na- 
tion, and  to  become  their  peculiar  King,  and  give  them 
a  code  of  laws  peculiar  to  themselves  as  a  nation  and 

rnment,  distinguished  from  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  ;  he  having,  after  long  striving  with  them,  de- 
termined to  give  up  the  rest  of  the  world,  in  a  great 
degree,  to  ignorance,  idolatry  and  licentiousness,  and 
to  wink  at  the  prevalence  of  these  evils  till  the  desire 
of  all  nations  should  come,  this  church  and  nation,  (for 
one,  and  all  were  symbolically  holy)  was  the 

•-.itory  of  the  lively  oracles,  first  given  by  Moses, 
jM-i'iiu •(!  in  the   sanctuary,  or  added  by  the  pro- 

1,  till  Christ  came.  This  church  and  nation  were 
to  keep  up  a  testimony  against  the  prevailing  idolatry 
of  the  world,  but  not  to  overturn  or  suppress  that  idola- 

xcept  within  thqir  own  territory.  But  to  preserve 
them  from  th«  ;ion  of  idolatry,  their 

peculiar  laws  were  calculated  to  prevent  their  com- 
munion with  the  nations  around  them,  not  only  in 
their  religion,  but  in  their  man  !t>es> 

their  clothing,  their  ploughing,  sowing  and  reaping, 
and  in  tlu  .  in  many  .  the 

lance,  of  their  daily  food.  They  could  net  :-:o  much 

.t  with  t'if :  c  of  other  nations. 

In  this  peculiar  code  of  laws,  the  precepts  given  to 
Noah  were  adopted  ;  but  the  penalty  respecting  mur- 
der was  r  .  or  of  the  averger  of  blood 
was  not  abolished,  but  modified.  Courts  of  justice  were 
c  2 


OBSERVATIONS  OM 

.  air  hrtu-een  wilful  ii.un'.rr,  v.ilh 

.ili.i-i-limiii'Jil,  ami    letl   <  ritiiiii.i!  <•:•  innocent    homi< 

.1  id  «  iH'  I  Ol    PI  ..  1. 1*    1     Tht    tlMWter  v,  ho  killed 

Hit,    whether    wilfully  or    n<>:  <>mr 

|)ted     Irom     the     !><nver    of    the 

I   Mood,  or    In. in  beinp;    Irmishrd    l.»  tin-  city 

<,1   rtfugC,    'I'lf  H.I  .  oi-   liftVI  8  v.  h:-ii  tin1. 

prei  opti   u <  •  to  Ko  ih.    \'v.'<   ;u  9  i\«»i   \\.;il  in- 

foj-inctl  how  Ihis  law   \\  ,  ncd  in  \'.  ,;iou; 

hut    \\hfii  the  i-jovcl-iiinriil    was    prrinillnl    to  he  so  Tar 

o  i-.ivr  hareditary   Uiuj';s,  we  know  thai 

Ihr  I.  'I  \\it!»  (K*-  puuishuu-iit 

of   niiirdiT.     Da.  id    di-.p.-nM-d    with    it    in    tin     « 

.   .loah  in  !•,>  Q  IM-.I  .  . 

;,u  <»r  ,!H-UI  \\ iii'ui  and  OMthi  ion:     h  pieai  ed  .!• 

U  I,  !<>  disp.-nsr  \\ilh,  . 
.    iniirdi-r    and    adultery,    in  ll.r   very 
I"  David  ::ad   I  'n.di.     Joah   \ 

V.inl;.  pill    tO  death  hy  Solomon  tor  n-(  .  -.on,  .1 
IB,  without   any  hearin 

is  enjoined  hy  tin-  law  of  [\I, 
And   Ahirtlie'  IKine   m. inner,  ihrust   (-nl  of  the 

Thr  :ii>".  itribute   i<»  d<  UIOM  , 

that   l.-i.ip.n-  il    pent  ;  i«  <1  I'v   talh-iv  niaiv 

HO    1'  'ft   <>l    i  In-   IMI  ral  law  ot 
v  wi'i-e,  tlioy  <  «'ul»l  no!  i  \vit!i 

or  ( h  .tiai  character  of  the  moraJ 

,;    ||    UIK  hau)-;i  ,i!>le    like  (  h 
nvillr  Q|«    di\  in,     perl'rt  ? 

infftUtbta    :nlei-- 

M  >'«;•*  as 


THJC  TWO  SONS  OF   OIL. 

TMs  law  neve,  >r  over  will  b 

I  or  dispensed  with.    It  never  can    yield  to  policy 

11    it  could  have,  done  so,  the 

loved    not    their    1  'i   lor 

I'nols.    'I'll  F  positive  in- 

stitutions, arosi-   ironi  the  authority  of  th  Lm, 

oblitfinij  to  ob. 

It  nuiy  In-  0  ihat  the  <  of  l);i\id  and 

non)  in  the  instanci  probablj 

.  >vv.  They 

usurod  in  scripture,  but  David  is  ex- 
!y  justified  in  all  his   conduct    us  ki;  ;  t  in 

lie  is  Tied    in    u:,in^  the 

shew-brcud,   equally   contrary  to    that    law,  by    J< 

perfect    jud;-e  of  tiie,   relative  oblij«;:i- 

•  iieir  own 
i-i'ul  l.iws  -,   tlieret 

i  (ule  (.1   i 
laws  can  apply  equally  to  all  nation!;,  at  nil  ti. 

<il'   death.    The  Jh 
lamt  r,  and   tl 

tl\eni.   Th     • 

In   Sro; 

. 

of   M  ;    nor    a.  >IIy  i  <n\- 

i'li(  - 

'ion.    In  all  li. 
i 
mof  In  all  ol'  them  less 

In  Pennsylvania  they  arc  less  so,  p«  :  under 


32  OBSERVATIONS   OK 

any  other  civilized  government;  and  in  no  government 
is  the  public  peace  better  preserved.  But  this  improve- 
ment in  favour  of  humanity  could  not  have  been  accom- 
plished, if  the  legislature  of  that  state  had  not  been 
in  a  capacity,  and  willing  to  be  at  the  expense  of  pro- 
viding a  suitable  prison,  labour,  workshops,  Sec.  for 
those  who,  under  other  governments,  would  have  been 
hanged.  By  this  wise  institution,  human  blood  is 
spared,  the  criminals  are  well  clothed  and  fed,  and 
contribute  to  their  own  support,  while  society  is  pro- 
tected from  their  depredations.  Thus,  by  the  laws  of 
that  state,  the  detestation  of  shedding  human  blood,  so 
laudably  and  strongly  expressed  in  the  precept  to  the 
sons  of  Noah,  and  in  the  law  of  Moses,  is  more 
strongly  and  effectually  provided  against  than  could 
have  been  done  in  the  early  stages  of  society,  when 
there  was  yet  not  the  means  of  establishing  and  sup- 
porting the  criminal  code  of  Pennsylvania,  which  pro- 
vides for  putting  the  wilful,  malicious  murderer  to 
death,  and  preventing  the  effusion  of  human  blood,  by 
otherwise  securing  such  other  criminals  as  were  put 
to  death  under  the  former  government,  and  still  are 
put  to  death  under  other  governments. 

The  penalties  of  the  judicial  law  were  not  of  moral 
and  universal  obligation,  because  they  were  not  from 
the  beginning.  Sixteen  hundred  and  fifty  six  years  had 
passed  away,  before  the  precepts  were  given  to  Noah 
that  were  equally  applicable  to  all  mankind;  and  2513 
years,  before  the  Israelitish  Theocracy  was  instituted  ; 
which  only  continued  to  operate  in  a  small  territory, 
during  1491  years;  and  never  was  applied  to,  or  in- 
tended for,  other  nations.  It  could  not  be  administered. 


THE   TWO   SONS   OF   OIL. 

.t  the  place,  and  by  the  judges,  appointed  by  God, 

<  uiiar  king  of  Israel. 

The  moral  law  of  nature  was  t!.-  efore  man 

iroin  God,  that  it   was  afi>  and  will 

continue  to  be  the  sail,  r.  There  wus  no  place 

or  use  fo/ 

his  f  revolt :  con;--  .  they 

are  not  the  moral  law,  but  were  ner,  .trcduced 

use   of  transgression,   for  i  civil 

might  be  enabled  to  1  uble 

in   godliness    and  honesty.    It  was  for  this  pur- 

J  civil  g;>  t-ec- 

.  .1  of  God  ;  and    hence   it  is,  tnat  penal 

for  the  righteous  tnati^  but  for  the 

. 

v.iture  consists  of  ;  il  and  im- 

mutable of    justice,  as  they  r  in  the 

nature  and  relation  of  ..itecedent  to  any  posi- 

l'le  principles 

.il,   to  which   the  CVea'^r  Hir.self,  in  ail 
.'fins  ;  and  which  \u 

for  the  conduct  of  human  actions — such,  among  others, 

uly,  hurt 

e  his  due.   And  hr  I 
E    of  his  le  it  our 

so  far  as  that 
of  our  duty. 

:kind,  and 

T,  is  of  course  sr..  ,  and 

.  It  is  binding  all  over 
lobe,  in  all    countries,  and  at  all  L 
!-.uvs  arc  of  any  validity,  il  - 


34  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

and  such  of  them  as  are  of  any  validity,  derive  all  their 
force,  and  all  their  authority,  mediately  or  immedi- 
ately, from  their  original :  but  it  is  necessary  to  exer- 
cise human  reason  in  the  application  of  the  laws  of 
nature  to  particular  cases.  If  our  reason  was  always, 
as  in  our  iirst  ancestor  before  his  transgression,  clear 
and  perfect,  unrufilcd  by  passions,  and  unclouded  by 
prejudice,  we  should  need  no  other  guide  but  this: 
but  every  man  now  finds  the  contrary  in  his  own  ex- 
perience—that his  reason  is  corrupt,  and  his  under- 
standing full  of  ignorance  and  error. 

This  state  of  things  has  given  manifold  occasions 
for  the  benign  interposition  of  Divine  Providence,  by 
which  God,  in  compassion  to  the  frailty,  the  imperfec- 
tion, and  the  blindness  of  human  reason,  hath  been 
pleased  at  sundry  times,  and  in  divers  manners,  to 
enforce  his  laws  by  immediate  and  direct  revelation. 
The  doctrines  thus  delivered,  Christians  call  the  re- 
vealed divine  law,  and  they  are  to  be  found  only  in  the 
holy  scriptures.  A  law  made  by  man,  or  penal  laws  to 
be  executed  by  man,  could  have  no  application  to  men 
individually,  in  a  state  of  nature  ;  because  the  law- 
making  power  is  always  in  such  as  possess  supreme 
authority  over  organized  society.  Men  in  a  state  of 
nature  arc  all  equals  :  but  man  never  existed  long  in 
that  state.  The  elder  brother  murdering  the  younger, 
while  in  that  state,  was  an  awful  lesson  in  favour  of 
union  in  a  state  of  civil  society,  able  to  afford  protec- 
tion to  its  component  parts.  From  the  fears,  the  wants, 
and  the  crimes  of  individuals,  civil  society  originated ; 
and  from  the  same  source  has  it  been  supported, 
throughout  all  successive  ages.  Aaarchy  has  never 
appeared  but  with  such  destruction  in  its  train,  as  scon 


THE  TT7O  SONS  OF  OIL.  35 

obliged  men  to  resort  to  civil  society  for  protection. 
Numerous  examples  of  this  have  been  produced  in 
our  own  day :  so  that  it  is  a  settled  maxim,  both  with 
expositors  of  the  bible,  and  politicians,  that  even  a  bad 
government  is  nin  none. 

It  is  universally  admitted,  I  presume,  that  it  is  the 
will  of  Got!  that  all  his  reasonable  creatures  should 
pursue  their  own  happiness,  in  a  way  consistent  with 
the  happiness  of  <  of  the  same  common  na- 

:  and  that  this  is,  in  so  far,  the  moral  law  of  na- 
ture. Men  must  first  associate  together,  before  they 
can  form  rules  for  their  civil  government — When  those 
rules  are  formed,  and  put  in  operation,  they  have  be- 
come a  civil  society,  or  organized  government.  For 
this  purpose,  some  rights  of  individuals  must  have  been 

i  up  to  the  society,  but  repaid  many  fold  by  the 
protection  of  life,  liberty  and  property,  afforded  by  the 
strong  arm  of  civil  government.  This  progress  to  hu- 

happiness  being  agreeable  to  the  will  of  God, 
who  loves  and  commands  order,  is  the  ordinance  of 
God  mentioned  by  the  apostle  Paul :  and  being  insti- 
tuted by  men,  in  the  exercise  of  their  natural  reason, 
for  their  protection,  it  is  the  ordinance  of  man,  and  as 
such  to  be  obeyed,  as  mentioned  by  the  apostle  Peter. 

:\er  the  call  of  Abraham,  and  the  gracious  mani- 
festation of  the  covenant  of  grace  to  him,  he  and  his 

/  enjoyed  the  special  protection  of  God,  and  com- 
munications from  him.  This  gracious  dispensation 
accompanied  the  pi  omised  seed,  viz.  Isaac  and  Jacob ; 
who,  with  the  name  oi"  Israel  and  his  family,  enjoyed 
the  blessing  and  promised  protection.  They  enjoyed 
it,  when  in  the  house  of  bondage  in  Ivjypt.  Even 
this  horrk'  1  the  order  of 


HS  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

their  tribes,  and  had  their  elders,  or  heads  of  families. 
The  name  eldtr  is  of  Egyptian  origin — The  first  we 
hear  of  it  is  in  Gen.  1.  7.  ;  but  it  came  to  be  much 
used  in  Israel.  It  was  the  elders  of  Israel  that  Moses 
addressed  by  the  commandment  of  God,  when  he  re- 
turned to  Egypt ;  but  they  had  no  magisterial  or  judi- 
cial authority.  Moses  was  the  first  and  only  magis- 
trate, until  subordinate  magistrates  were  appointed 
agreeable  to  the  advice  of  Jethro.  When  the  Sinai 
covenant. was  made,  a  permanent  magistracy  was  es- 
tablished, of  which  the  priests  and  Levites  were  con- 
stituent members. 

Preparatory  to  the  Sinai  covenant,  the  people  vo- 
luntarily engaged  to  obey  all  that  the  Lord  had  spoken, 
after  having  received  the  promise  of  being  thereupon 
constituted  a  peculiar  nation.  See  Exod.  xix.  The  next 
preparatory  step  was  the  giving  of  the  ten  command- 
ments, viz.  a  transcript  of  the  moral  law  of  their  na- 
ture ;  which,  as  it  equally  related  to  all  mankind,  was 
delivered  with  an  audible  voice,  from  the  top  of  a 
mountain,  with  such  tremendously  glorious  and  awful 
accompaniments,  as  testified  the  presence  of  God  om- 
nipotent. This  law  war,  also  wrote  by  the  finger  of  God, 
on  tables  of  stone—a  fit  emblem  of  its  unchangeable 
perpetuity.  This ;  the  people  engaged  by  covenant  to 
obey,  as  God  had  commanded  them.  See  Deut.  iv.  1  3. 
Thus,  under  the  immediate  divine  direction,  they  form- 
ed a  society  before  they  became  an  organized  body 
politic. 

These  solemn  preparations  being  macle,  it  pleased 
God  to  propose  the  terms  of  the  covenant  of  peculiarity, 
whereby  Israel  was  constituted  a  nation  separate  and 
distinct  from  all  other  nations.  Pules  v/hereby  their 


THE  TWO  SONb  OF   OIL.  ST 

courts  of  justice  and  magistrates  were  to  be  guided 
in  deciding  on  crimes,  damages,  £cc.  were  prescribed. 
Exod.  xxi.  23.  In  the  24th  chapter,  Moses  declares 
these  laws  to  the  people,  who  answered  with  one  -voice, 
and  said,  all  the  words  which  the  Lord  hath  said  we  will 
do.  Moses  -wrote  all  the  words  of  the  Lord,  and  rose  uf* 
early,  8cc.  Next  follows  the  solemn  consecration  of  the 
national,  commonly  called  the  Sinai  covenant,  or  law 
of  peculiarity,  because  it  originated  at  Sinai,  and  was 
only  applicable  to  Israel.  The  law  of  the  ten  command- 
ments was  an  abstract  of  v.l  law  of  nature, 
which  was  from  the  beginning,  and  is  equally  applica- 
ble to  all  mankind. 

The  typical  consecration  described  in  this  chapter, 
as  ratifying  the  Sinai  covenant,  is  mentioned  in  the 
epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  when  the  apostle  is  demon- 
strating the  abrogation  of  the  Siaai  covenant,  and  the 
introduction  of  the  new  covenant,  viz.  the  gospel  dis- 
pensation. Heb.  ix.  after  shewing  that  the  consecra- 
tion of.  the  Sinai  covenant  with  blood,  typified  the 
death  of  Christ,  for  the  remission  of  sins,  by  his  own 
blood,  he  states  the  consecration  of  the  Sinai  covenant 
as  emblematical  of  the  blood  of  the  new  testament,  by 
which  Christ  /iut  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself. 
He  says,  in  chap.  x.  9.  "  Then  said  he,  Lo,  I  come  to 
do  thy  will,  O  God."  He  taketh  away  the  first,  (viz. 
the  first  covenant)  that  he  may  establish  the  second, 
(viz.  the  second  covenant,  or  gospel  dispensation) 
which  took  place  of  the  old  covenant  or  testament.  See 
Heb.  ix.  18.  In  the  8th  chapter,  the  apostle  appeals 
to  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  for  proof  of  the  abolition  of 
the  Sinai  covenant,  who  testifies  that  the  new  covenant 
ing  to  the  covenant  made  with  their  fa- 
D 


o.8  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

thers,  viz.  the  Sinai  covenant,  made  when  he  brought 
them  out  of  Egypt.  The  apostle  argues  from  the  pro- 
phet, that,  in  that  he  saith  a  new  covenant,  he  hath  made 
the  first  old.  Now  that  which  decayeth  and  waxeth  old, 
is  ready  to  vanish  away;  uncl  in  Gal.  iii.  17.  the  same 
apostle,  speaking  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  that  was 
confirmed  to  Abraham  by  God  in  Christ,  the  law, 
(viz.  the  Sinai  covenant)  which  was  430  years  after, 
cannot  disannul  it;  and  Eph.  ii.  15.  speaking  of  what 
Christ  has  done  by  his  death,  he  says,  "  having  abolish- 
ed in  his  flesh  the  law  of  commandments  contained  in 
ordinances  ;"  and  thus,  as  he  says  in  the  former  verse, 
"  he  hath  made  both  Jew  and  gentile  one,  by  breaking 
down  the  middle  wall  of  partition  between  them." 

Proofs,  to  the  same  purpose,  from  the  prophets  and 
and  apostles,  might  be  multiplied,  were  it  necessary  j 
but  I  will  only  add  one  from  the  evangelists — John  i.  17. 
"  For  the  law  came  by  Moses,  but  grace  and  truth 
came  by  Jesus  Christ."  For  a  further  contrast  between 
the  old  and  new  covenants,  I  refer  to  Deut.  xviik  15,  19. 
and 'to  Ezekiel  xvi.  6,  62.  In  all  these  scriptures,  and 
more  that  might  be  named,  the  Sinai  covenant  is  abo- 
lished ;  not  in  part,  but  wholly  abrogated,  disannulled, 
See.  If,  therefore,  the  Scriptures  tell  truth,  no  part  of 
it  remains  obligatory  on  Christians ;  and  those  who 
maintain  it  to  be  so,  act,  in  so  far,  in  direct  opposition 
to  the  prophets,  the  evangelists,  and  apostles.  This  is 
confirmed  by  approved  commentators. 

The  learned  Scott,  on  Exodus  xxiv.  3,  4?.  says, 
"  When  Moses  had  set  before  the  people  the  substance 
of  the  judicial  law,  which  he  had  received  with  the 
moral  law  of  the  ten  commandments,  delivered  from 
mount  Sinai;  and  the  promises  made  to  them  of  spe- 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  Oil.  39 

•jial   blessings,  while  obedient ;  they  unanimously  and 
willingly  consented  and  engaged  to  be  obedient.  Ac- 
cordingly, he  wrote  in  a  book,  the  four  foregoing  chap- 
is  the  conditions  of  the  national   covenant,  which 
.ow  about  to  be  solemnly  ratified.  For  such  it  cer- 
tainly ing  that  the  covenant  of  works  has  nothing 
to  do  rs,  sacrifices,  and  the  sprinkling  of  blood, 
and  the  covenant  of  grace  is  not  made  with  whole  na- 
tions, or  collective  bodies  of  divers  characters,  but  only 
representatively  with  Christ,  as  the  surety  of  the  elect, 
and  personally  with  true  believers.  But  whilst  this  cove- 
riant  was  made  with  the  nation  of  Israel,  in  respect  to 
outward    blessings,   it    was   a   shadow  of  good 
s  to  come." 

That  this  covenant  was  abrogated,  when  the  inten- 
tion, for  which  it  was  instituted,  was  accomplished,  is 
stated  by  the  same  judicious  author,  in  his  comment  on 
.iah  xxxi.  31 — 34.  "  The  national  covenant," 
made  at  Sinai  with  Israel,  when  brought  out  of  Egypt, 
is  here  contrasted  with  "  the  new  covenant."  Notwith- 
standing the  tender  and  compassionate  love  of  Jehovah 
to  Israel  at  that  time,  when  he  espoused  the  nation  to 
himself,  they  proved  unfaithful,  and  broke  the  cove- 
nant, by  apostacy,  idolatry,  and  iniquity;  and  at  length, 
by  rejecting  the  Messias,  they  were  cast  out  of  the 
church,  and  expelled  from  the  promised  land.  This 
rant  was  distinct,  both  from  the  covenant  of 
works,  of  which  Adam  was  the  surety,  and  under 
which,  every  unbeliever,  in  every  age  and  nation,  is 
bound ;  and  from  the  covenant  of  grace,  mediated  by 
Christ,  of  which  every  believing  Israelite  received  the 
This  promise  of  a  new  covenant,  as  St.  Paul 
hath  shewn,  implied  the  abrogation  of  the  Mosaic  law, 


40  -OBSERVATIONS    ON 

and  the  introduction  of  another  and  more  spiritual 
dispensation.  See  the  same  learned  author  on  Heb, 
viii.  Also  on  Zech.  xiv.  4,  5.  where  he  says,  "  In 
consequence  of  his  (Christ's)  ascension,  and  the  com- 
mission granted  to  his  apostles,  the  gospel  was  sent 
to  the  different  regions  of  the  earth*  The  ceremonial 
law,  and  the  whole  Mosaic  dispensation,  which  ob- 
structed the  admission  of  the  gentiles  into  the  church, 
as  the  surrounding  mountains  did  their  entrance  into 
Jerusalem,  were  Removed." 

On  the  prophecy  of  Haggai  ii.  69.  the  author  says, 
"  Then  the  Lord  would  shake  the  heavens  and  the 
earth,  8tc.  Various  convulsions  and  changes  would 
take  place  in  the  Jewish  church  an%d  state,  which  would 
end  in  abolishing  the  ritual  and  whole  Mosaic  dispen- 
sation, the  disannulling  of  the  national  covenant,  the 
subversion  of  their  constitution,  the  destruction  of  Je- 
rusalem, and  the  ruin  of  their  civil  government."  See 
also  the  venerable  Henry  to  the  same  purpose,  on  the 
above  and  similar  texts,  in  both  the  old  and  new  tes- 
taments. I  know  of  no  approved  commentators,  but 
what  are  in  unison  with  the  above. 

That  this  covenant,  or  national  constitution,  was 
local,  viz.  confined  to  a  particular  country,  is  evident 
through  the  whole  transaction.  The  devoted  nations 
are  expressly  described  in  different  places,  and  the 
geographical  boundaries  defined  with  precision,  Num. 
xxxiv.  1 — 15.  and  the  administration  of  the  national 
law  expressly  limited  to  the  land  within  those  bounda- 
ries. Deut.  iv.  14.  "  And  the  Lord  commanded  me  at 
that  time  to  teach  you  statutes  and  judgments,  that 
you  might  do  them  in  the  land  whither  you  go  over  to 
possess  it." 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF   OIL.  41 

The  time  meant  was  after  giving-  the  moral  law  as 
the  foundation  of  the  Sinai  covenant,  containing  these 
statutes  and  judgments.  The  land  \vas  that  of  the  de- 
voted nations,  which  they  were  going  over  to  possess. 
Those  statutes  and  judgments  were  not  to  be  adminis- 
tered in  other  lands.  Through  their  own  fault,  even 
those  nations  were  never  all  subdued  or  possessed. 
They  never  possessed  the  land  of  the  Philistines,  nor 
the  Sidonians.  Though  David  at  last  overcame  the 
former,  he  did  not  dispossess  them.  Edam,  Moab  and 
Aniin on,  adjoining  Arabia  and  the  Red  Sea,  Syria  of 

,  and  Damascus,  extending  from  Palestine  to  the 
Euphrates,  were  subdued  by  David;  and  they,  as  well 

rabia  on  the  south,  yielded  a  willing  obedience  to 
Solomon,  thereby  fulfilling  the  promise  to  him,  as  a 
type  of  the  Messiah,  that  his  large  and  great  dominion 
should  extend  from  the  Mediterranean,  then  called  the 

'.  Sea,  to  the  great  river  Euphrates  on  the  east, 
and  to  the  Southern  Ocean,  from  near  which  the  queen 
of  Sheba  came,  and  beyond  which  there  is  no  continent ; 
emblematical  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  to  extend 
over  the  whole  world.  This,  however,  was  a  dominion 
of  peace.  The  people  were  not  dispossessed,  nor 
brought  under  the  national  law  of  Israel — it  could  not 
be  administered  there.  This  is  the  opinion,  and  agree- 
able to  the  practice  of  the  Jews  in  Babylon,  and  in  their 
dispersions,  to  this  day.  The  schismatic  Jews,  who 
:od  a  temple  in  Babylon,  and  those  who  erected 
another  at  Samaria,  did  s*o  in  direct  violation  of  the 
Sinai  covenant. 

Mr.  Wylie,  page  23,  states,  that  "it  is  the  magis- 
trate's duty  to  execute  such  penalties  of  the  divine  law, 
(meaning  the  peculiar  lav/  of  Israel)  as  are  not  repealed 
D  2 


OBSERVATIONS  ON 

or  mitigated;"  and  several  years  ago,  an  intelligent 
and  pious  gentleman  sent  me  a  copy  of  a  manuscript 
volume,  of  thirty  one  folio  pages,  very  closely  written, 
entitled  "  Observations  co?:cerning'  Toleration"  in 
which  he  adopts  and  supports  the  same  principles  re- 
specting divine  laws,  &c.  that  are  advocated  in  the 
Sens  of  Oil.  From  it  I  will  now  insert  the  following 
quotation,  p.  3.  "  I  plead— the  laws  and  examples  of 
the  Jewish  nation,  and  that  upon  this  ground,  that  all 
the  laws  and  precepts  contained  in  the  Old  Testament, 
that  are  not  repealed  in  the  New,  either  by  express 
precept,  approven  example,  or  by  necessary  conse- 
uuence,  are  still  binding — a  law  being  once  given, 
it  is  repealed  by  the  same  authority,  is  still 
binding." 

The  above  is  so  much  less  exceptionable  than  the 
Sons  of  Oil,  that  it  does  not  include  the  idea  of  miti- 
gating divine  laws.  Where  either  of  them  got  the  idea 
cf  repealing  or  mitigating  divine  laws,  they  have  not 
Informed  us  ;  certainly,  however,  they  did  not  get  it  in 
their  bible.  It  is  necessary  that  imperfect  and  short- 
sighted men  should  repeal  or  revise  their  laws.  Revi- 
sion is  a  repeal  in  part;  but  to  apply  the  term  mitiga- 
tion to  laws,  whether  human  or  divine,  is  a  near  ap- 
proach to  nonsense.  In  most  governments,  provision 
is  made  for  mitigating  the  sentence  of  a  court,  arising 
from  the  law  and  the  fact,  or  for  remitting  the  sentence 
wholly.  Thus,  in  England,  the  king  frequently  mitigates 
the  sentence  of  death,  by  substituting  transportation 
and  servitude,  or  pardons,  either  with  or  without  con- 
ditions ;  but  neither  repealing  nor  mitigating  can  be 
applied  to  any  law  of  God,  without  an  approach  to 

iphemy. 


THE   TWO    SONS   OK   OIL. 

That  none  of  these  can  apply  to  the  moral  law  of 
nature,  it  being  unchangeable,  has  been  already  stated  ; 
nor  can  it  be  maintained,  without,  at  the  same 
maintaining,  that  God  himself  is  changeable.  They 
cannot  be  applied  to  positive  or  voluntary  laws,  with- 
out admitting  that  the  Almighty  was  short-sighted, 
like  fallen  mortals ;  that  he  did  not  know  the  end  from 
the  beginning  ;  that  causes,  or  changes,  had  taken 
place,  which  he  had  not  foreseen,  when  he  made  the 
which  rendered  the  future  repeal  or  revision  ne- 
cessary. These  arc  the  causes  why  human  laws  are 
repealed  or  revised.  I  never  read  of  a  law  for  the  mi- 
tigation of  a  law,  but  in  the  Sons  of  Oil.  Positive  laws 
have  frequently  been  passed  for  special  and  local  pur- 
poses, that  ceased  when  the  purposes  were  accom- 
plished for  which  the  legislature  intended  them ;  se- 
veral of  these  I  have  mentioned  already.  I  will  only 
add,  that  the  laws  regulating  the*  march  of  Israel  in 
the  wilderness,  the  gathering  of  the  manna,  &c.  the 
command  to  the  disciples,  by  the  Saviour,  when  he 
sent  them  out  to  preach  the  gospel  and  work  mira- 

-  not  to  go  to  the  cities  of  the  Gentiles  or  the  Sa- 
maritans — ceased,  when  the  object  intended  was  ac- 
complished ;  so  did  the  whole  additions  to  the  moral 
law,  contained  in  the  Sinai  covenant  of  peculiarity, 
%\  hen  their  object  was  accomplished,  and  the  intention 
of  the  legislator  fultillcd.  They  ceased,  or  were  abro- 
gated, but  not  repealed  or  mitigated. 

Divines  have  very  commonly,  for  the  sake  of  illus- 
tration, spoken  of  the  peculiar  law  of  Israel,  under  two 
distinct  views,  viz.  as  ceremonial,  enjoining  and  i 
lating  religious  rites,   and  as   judicial,  regulating  the 
courts  of  justice,  8cc,    This  distinction  is  often  made 


44  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

without  any  injury  to  the  subject ;  but  having  no  foun- 
dation in  the  law  itself,  a  precise  line  of  distinction 
cannot  be  drawn.  The  learned  Dr.  Witsius  has  well 
stated,  after  an  accurate  examination,  that  all  their 
polity  was  so  connected  with  priests  and  Levites,  that 
no  such  precise  line  could  be  drawn.  The  reverend 
author  of  the  Sons  of  Oil,  though  he  builds  his  system 
on  this  distinction,  has  not  condescended  to  mark  the 
line.  The  author  of  the  manuscript  has  been  more  can- 
did. He  says,  p.  9.  "  The  ceremonial  law  was  a  system 
of  positive  precepts  about  the  external  worship  of  God, 
chiefly  designed  to  typify  Christ  as  then  to  come,  and 
to  lead  to  the  way  of  salvation  through  him.  The  jiidi- 
cial  law  was  that  body  of  laws,  given  by  God,  foiHhe 
government  of  the  Jews,  partly  founded  on  the  law  of 
nature,  and  partly  respected  them  as  a  nation  distinct 
from  all  others.  The  first  respected  them  as  a  church, 
the  second  respected  them  as  a  nation,  distinct  from  all 
others.  This  distinction  is  so  easy  understood,  that  it 
will  require  a  great  deal  more  than  what  I  have  yet 
seen  to  overthrow  it." 

The  author  has  been  candid  enough  not  to  lay  the 
support  of  this  distinction  on  the  scriptures,  where, 
indeed,  he  could  not  find  it,  but  gives  it  as  "  he  jmds 
it  stated  by  authors."  And  it  is  as  well  defined  as  is 
desirable  ;  for  it  is,  as  he  says,  easy  understood,  which 
is  the  excellence  of  a  definition  ;  its  only  loss  is,  that 
it  is  not  supported  by  scripture,  and  is  impracticable. 
It  puts  me  in  mind  of  the  theories  of  the  creation  of 
the  earth,  published  by  Whiston,  Burnet,  Buftbn,  Sec. 
They  all  tell  a  very  pretty  story  of  how  they  would 
have  made  the  earth,  and,  therefore,  how  God  should 
have  done  it.  But  they  all  differ  in  opinion  from  each 


THE  TWO  SONS   CF   OIL.  45 

other,  how  they  would  have  made  the  world,  but 
agree  in  objecting  to  the  method  in  which  it  actually 
pU-usedGod  to  create  it.  Just  so  it  is  with  those,  who 
idolize,  and  attempt  to  reduce  to  practice,  among  chris- 
tinns,  the  peculiar  law  of  the  Israclitish  theocracy, 
which  has  been  fulfilled  and  abolished  by  its  divine 
author.  They  all  claim  the  authority  of  that  law  to 
patronize  their  own  opinion,  or  justify  their  tyranny  ; 

ione  of  them  pretend  to  revive  and  execute  the 
whole  of  that  law;  but  though  they  all  have  miserably 
perverted  it  in  their  application  of  it,  yet  they  have 

r  agreed  on  defining  how  far  it  is  applicable  to 
Christians,  and  how  far  not.  How  then  shall  the  weak 
Christian  know,  which  of  its  precepts  he  is  obliged  to 
obey,  and  which  to  refuse — all  of  them  being  equally 
divine  laws.  The  definition  of  the  author  of  the  manu- 
script, which  I  admit  to  be  one  of  the  best,  he  will 
himself,  upon  trial,  find  to  be  wholly  impracticable, 
because  it  leaves  it  wholly  to  the  private  judgment  of 
every  Christian  to  decide,  what  precept  respected 
Israel,  as  a  church,  and  what  respected  it,  as  a  nation, 
distinct  from  all  others.  If  applying  this  rule  to  all 
particular  precepts  was  too  difficult  a  task  for  the  au- 
thor of  the  manuscript,  or  of  the  Sons  of  Oil,  what 
must  it  be  to  weak  but  well  meaning  Christians.  The 
difficulty  to  them  must  be  the  greater,  from  the  cir- 
cumstance, that  the  New  Testament,  which  contains 
the  religion  of  Christians,  having  declared  that  this 
law  is  wholly  abolished,  has  given  no  directions  for 
making  a  discrimination  of  its  precepts. 

Divine  wisdom  has  so  intimately  connected  those  pre- 
cepts together,  that  they  could  not  be  separated.  They, 
*s  a  system,  being  the  symbol  or  type  of  the  New  Testa- 


46  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

ment  church,  were,  like  it,  one  body  with  many  members. 
To  this  the  whole  language  in  scripture,  applied  to 
this  institution,  agrees  that  Israel  was  a  holy  nation,  a 
kingdom  of  priests,  a  peculiar  people,  all  ritually 
sanctified  and  holy ;  their  kings  were  equally  types  of 
the  Saviour,  as  their  priests  were.  Mount  Zion,  the 
city  of  the  king,  was  equally  typical,  as  Mount  Mo- 
riah,  where  the  temple  stood ;  the  land  was  holy  and 
symbolical  of  the  heavenly  rest.  Joshua,  the  chief 
magistrate  and  military  commander,  who  introduced 
Israel  into  the  land,  was  an  illustrious  type  of  the 
Saviour,  in  that  very  act.  The  author  must  mark  out 
his  line  of  discrimination  more  distinctly,  before  he 
can  build  a  system  on  it.  For  illustration,  it  may  do 
well  enough,  if  not  carried  too  far ;  but  it  is  always  to 
be  kept  in  mind,  that  it  is  without  foundation  in  scrip- 
ture ;  neither  prophets  nor  apostles  have  made  it. 

On  examining  the  law  itself,  "we  find  it  composed 
of  a  number  of  different  ordinances,  each  of  them  call- 
ed a  law,  such  as  the  law  of  the  trespass  offering,  the 
law  of  the  meat  offering,  the  law  of  the  passover,  and 
the  law  for  leprosy,  Sec.  but  when  they  are  spoken  of  as 
a  system  or  code,  all  are  mentioned  as  one  law ;  there 
are  no  such  expressions  to  be  found  in  the  Old  or  New 
Testament,  as  the  ceremonial  law,  or  the  judicial  law; 
all  are  thus  intimately  mixed  and  connected  together, 
as  if  done  on  purpose  to  prevent  separating  what  God 
had  so  joined  together. 

I  have  not  slightly  examined  this  question,  to  sup- 
port an  argument,  but  strictly  for  edification  :  and  I  find 
the  law  of  Moses  above  fifty  times  expressly  named  or 
alluded  to  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  as  often,  at  least, 
in  the  New  Testament,  always  as  one  law,  and  in  no 


TH1  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  47 

place  with  the  distinction  of  judicial  and  ceremonial 
laws.  The  distinction,  however,  between  moral  and 
positive  laws,  is  easily  traced  :  but  I  agree  with  Dr. 
Owen,  in  his  saying,  that  Christ  in  fulfilling  all  righte- 
ousness in  the  room  and  place  of  sinners,  fulfilled 
every  law  that  man  had  broken. 

That  I  am  not  singular  in  rejecting  this  distinction, 
it  might  be  sufficient  to  state,  that  neither  the  Sa- 
viour, nor  his  apostles,  have  made  it.  But  it  is  also 
n-jccted  by  human  authorities  of  the  highest  charac- 
u  the  most  able  advocates  of  the  truth  of  the 
Christian  religion.  I  shall  only  in  this  place  insert  a 
quotation  from  Locke,  whose  name,  along  with  Bacon, 
Boyle,  Newton  and  Addison,  is  the  boast  of  Christians, 
in  opposition  to  the  unfounded  boasts  of  deists,  claim- 
ing learning  and  talents,  as  belonging  to  their  ranks. 
Those  great  men,  while  they  opened  the  gates  of 
science  to  Europe,  or  demonstrated  the  extent  and  use 
of  human  reason,  were  at  the  same  time,  the  ablest 
advocates  for  the  truth  of  Christianity,  and  set  the 
brightest  example  of  its  power  on  the  heart  and  life. 

Locke  says,  "  the  law  of  Moses  is  not  obligatory 
upon  Christians.  There  is  nothing  more  frivolous  than 
that  common  distinction  of  moral,  judicial  and  cere- 
monial law.  No  positive  law  can  oblige  any  but  those  on 
whom  it  was  enjoined.  l  Hear,  O  Israel,'  See.  restrains 
the  obligation  of  the  law  to  that  people. — By  a  mistake 
of  both  Christians  and  Mahometans,  it  has  been  ap- 
plied to  other  nations.  The  Israelitish  nation  them- 
selves never  did  so,  nor  do  the  dispersed  Israelite* 
yet  do  so." 

Though  the  Westminster  divines  make  the  dist- 
tinction,  they  state  it  in  such  a  manner,  as  perfectly  te 


4$  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

agree  with  the  above.  Chap.  xix.  after  stating,  that 
the  law  of  nature  was  revealed  in  the  ten  command- 
ments, delivered  by  God  on  Sinai,  they  say,  sect.  3. 
"  Besides  this  law,  commonly  called  moral,  God  was 
pleased  to  give  to  the  people  of  Israel,  as  a  church, 
under  age,  ceremonial  laws,  containing  several  typical 
ordinances ;  partly  of  worship,  prefiguring  Christ,  his 
graces,  actions,  sufferings,  and  benefits  ;  and  partly, 
holding  forth  instructions  of  moral  duties.  All  which 
ceremonial  laws  are  now  abrogated  under  the  new 
testament."  Sect.  4.  "  To  them  also,  as  a  body  politic, 
he  gave  sundry  judicial  laws,  which  expired  together 
with  the  state  of  that  people,  not  obliging  any  other 
now,  further  than  the  general  equity  thereof  may  re- 
quire.5' The  general  equity  of  this,  or  any  system,  is 
in  so  far,  the  moral  law ;  which,  in  the  next  section, 
those  divines  declare  binds  all  men  for  ever. 

Thus,  those  venerable  divines  agree,  with  Locke  and 
the  apostles  in  opinion,  that  Christians  are  wholly  set 
free  from  the  law  of  Moses,  or  peculiar  law  of  Israel ; 
and  this  opinion  was  adopted  by  the  church  of  Scotland, 
in  what  has  been  reputed  her  purest  times ;  and  is 
still  the  opinion  of  all  the  now  divided  branches  of  the 
Presbyterian,  and  also  of  the  Independent,  churches, 
who  adhere  to  the  Westminster  Confession. 

Among  the  very  numerous  and  respectable  autho- 
rities, that  might  be  added,  I  insert  the  following  ex- 
tracts from  the  very  learned,  orthodox  and  pious  Dr. 
Witsius,  in  his  oeconomy.of  the  divine  covenants. 

In  his  first  volume,  the  author  shews  that  the  moral 
law  was  unchangeable,  and  that  it  was  the  foundation 
of  all  God's  other  solemn  transactions  with  fallen 
men,  and  totally  distinct  from  positive  or  voluntary 


THE  TWO  SON'S  OF  OIL.  4>- 

which  had  relation  to  men  as  fallen.  In  vol.  3, 
chap.  14.  entitled  Of  the  abrogation  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, meaning  thereby,  as  the  apostles  did,  Heb.  ix. 
18 — 20.  the  Sinai  covenant,  consecrated  with  blood, 
typical  of  the  New  Testament,  purehased  with  the 
blood  of  Jesus,  the  testator  of  the  new  testament,  for 
the  redemption  of  transgressors,  but  not  including  the 
prophets,  See.  which  we,  perhaps  improperly,  call  the 
old  testament.  The  Saviour  and  the  apostles  called  them 
the  Scriptures.  It  is  to  be  noticed,  that  he  also  spoke 
of  the  Sinai  covenant  wholly  as  ceremonial ;  because 
all  the  ci\  tion  of  it  v/as  so  intimately  in- 

terwoven with  the  ritual,  that  it  could  not  exist  with- 
out it ;  and  because  all  was  contrived  so  as  to  be  a 
shadow  of  good  things  to  come.  These  observation 
are  necessary  for  the  right  understanding  of  the  fol- 
lowing extrar 

u  To  begin   with  the  first :  The  foundation  of  the 
moral  laws,  whose  perpetuity  and  unchangcableness  is 
unquestionable    truth,   is   of  quite    a  different  nature 
from  the  ceremonial  institutions,  as  appears  from  th^ 
following   considerations :    Because    the    former    arc. 
founded   on  the   natural    and   immutable    holiness  of 
God,  which   cannot  but  be   the   examples  to  rational 
creatures,  and  therefore  cannot  be  abolished,  without 
abolishing   the    image    of    God :    but  the    latter    are 
founded  on  the  free  and  arbitrary  will  of  the  lawi; 
and,  therefore,  only  good  because  he  commanded  ;  and 
consequently,   according    to   the   different    nature  of 
times,  may  be  either  prescribed,  or  otherwise— pre- 
scribed or  not   prescribed  at  all.  This  distinction  wa» 
not  unknown  to  the  Jewish  doctors,"  &c.  p.  320.  v.  3, 
"  But  let  us  proceed  to  the  second  head,  namely: 
E 


50  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

thu  God  intended  they  should  cease  in  their  appointed 
time.  This  is  evident  from  the  following  arguments  : 
First,  the  very  institution  of  the  ceremonies  leads  to 
this :  for  since  they  were  given  to  one  people,  with 
limitations  to  their  particular  state,  country,  city  and 
temple ;  the  legislator  never  intended,  that  they 
should  be  binding  on  «//,  whom  he  favours  with  sating 
communion  with  himself,  and  at  all  times  and  in  all 
places.  But  this  was  really  the  case.  And  the  Jews 
have  always  boasted  of  this,  that  the  body  of  the  Mo- 
saic law  was  only  given  to  their  nation,  even  to  the 
inheritance  of  the  congregation  of  Jacob,  Deut.  xxxiii.  4. 
and  God  confined  it  to  their  generations,  Gen.  xvii.  7. 
Lev.  vii.  36.  and  xxiv.  3.  But  as  their  generations  are  now 
founded,  and  the  Levites  by  no  certain  marks  can  be 
distinguished  from  other  tribes,  or  the  descendents  of 
Aaron  from  other  Levites ;  it  follows,  that  the  law 
ceases,  that  was  confined  to  the  distinction  of  genera- 
tions, which  almost  all  depended  on  the  tribe  of  Levi, 
and  the  family  of  the  priests.  God  also  appointed  a 
certain  country  for  the  observation  of  the  ceremonies. 
Deut.  iv.  14.  vi.  1.  and  xi.  31,  32."  p.  323. 

The  learned  author,  after  shewing  at  large  the  ty- 
pical consecration  of  the  Sinai  covenant,  and  writing  it 
in  a  perishable  book,  distinct  from  the  moral  law  wrote 
on  tables  of  stone,  in  reply  to  such  as,  with  Mr.  Wylie, 
maintain  that  part  of  it  remains  binding  on  Christians, 
viz.  what  is  not  expressly  repealed  or  mitigated  in  the 
new  testament,  observes, 

"  From  these  things,  however,  it  is  easy  to  con- 
clude, that  the  new  covenant  was  not  promised  to  stand 
together  with  the  old,  and  be  superadded  to  supply 
its  defects  j  but  to  come  in  place  of  the  former,  when 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OJ?,. 

that,  as  obscure    and  typical,   should   b« 
moved  ;  which  is  plain  from  the  words,  Nbt  according 
to  the  covenant  the.:  I  made  ivith  their  fathers,  k 
thai  he  m.  .  v.',   he    hath   made  the  iirsi 

old  :  now  that  whi  axcth  old,  is  ready 

to  v=.  leb.  viii. 

In  answer  to  the  cbjec  t  it  does  not  neces- 

sarily foil-  -ion  of  a  new  covenant  alto- 

gether removes  the  old,  Sec.  he  r 

"  It  is  begging  the  question.  A  direct  contradic- 
tion to  God's  word,  God  says,  I  will  make  a  new  cove- 
nant, not  like  the  former,  which  was  made  void.  Men 
venture  to  answer,  It  is  not  an  establishment  of  a  new 
covenant,  but  a  repetition  of  the  old ;  and  so  far 
firms  the  old.  Yet,  at  the  same  time,  this  was  its  abro- 
gation. We  say,  here  is  no  promise  of  a  new  law,  be- 
cause none  can  be  better  or  more  perfect  than  that  of 
the  ten  commandments.  The  new  covenant  is  opposed 
to  the  old  cov.  ituted  in  iii  \. 

s  it,  so  as  likewise,  as  we  have  shewn,  to  put 

. 

4<  Tl-.c  l.v.vs  of  the  covenant,  of  which  the  ark  was  th'; 
symbol,  were  not  only  the  ten  commandments,  but  all 
the  laws  of  Moses:   accordingly,  the  book  which  con- 
placed  in  the  side  of  the  ark.  Thar 
.lercforc,  of  the  covenant,  being  thus  abolished, 

;id  the  laws,  as  fa: 

:-ised  the  condition  of  that  covenant,  im 
The   case    of  the  laws  of  lo^ue  is    dif- 

i  from  the  rest :  for  they  v/trc  engraven  on  tables 
of  stone,  and  laid  up  in  the  ark,  to  r< 
were  to  be  the  perpetual  rule  of  holiness,  and  perpetu- 
ally to  U  .h  of   tin; 


<lfeS£RVAflO.VS  ON 

his  mystical  body:  while  the  others  were  only  written 
on  paper  or  parchment,  and  placed  in  the  sides  of  the 
ark ;  seeing  their  being  engraven  on  stone,  and  kept  in 
the  ark,  signified  their  indelible  inscription  on,  and  con- 
tinual preservation  in,  the  hearts  of  believers."  p.  342. 

The  learned  doctor,  treating  of  the  benefits  of  the 
new  testament  or  covenant,  and  abrogation  of  the  old, 
says,  "  Immunity  from  the  forensic  or  judicial  laws  of 
the  Israelites,  not  as  they  were  of  universal,  (moral 
law)  but  of  particular  right  or  obligation,  made  for  the 
Jews,  as  such,  distinguishing  them  from  other  nations, 
adapted  to  the  genius  of  the  people  and  country,  and 
subservient,  for  the  greatest  part,  to  the  levitical  priest- 
hood, with  which  almost  the  whole  polity  was  inter- 
woven." p.  370. 

In  page  7,  Mr.  Wylie  proves,  in  several  premises, 
that  all  moral,  physical,  and  delegated  power,  See.  is 
necessarily  and  independently  in  God,  and  that  nil 
should  be  done  for  his  glory.  This,  none  but  atheists, 
if  there  are  such,  deny.  Practical  atheists,  who  live  as 
if  there  were  no  God,  are  numerous ;  but  atheists  in 
theory,  I  never  was  personally  acquainted  with.  Many, 
indeed,  have  been  burned  for  atheism  and  blasphemy, 
who  were  neither  atheists  nor  blasphemers.  This  was 
the  lot  of  the  primitive  Christians,  and  also  of  the 
Waldenses  and  other  martyrs,  under  the  tyrannical 
union  of  church  and  state,  in  the  apostate  Christian 
church.  However  Varoni  and  others  have  publicly 
taught  atheism,  Spinala,  and  even  Hume  and  others 
have  taught  doctrines  that  evidently  lead  to  it,  though 
they  have  denied  the  charge.  An  atheist  in  opinion, 
roust  believe  miracles  of  a  more  extraordinary  kind 
than  any  that  are  recorded  in  the  scriptures.  They 


THE  TWO  SOS'S  OF   OIL. 

must 

nd  connexion  in  \vhich  it  is  found.  To  this  pur- 
pose, it  w:ib  well  observed  by  or.c  condemned  10  be 
burned  for  atheism  by  the  inquisition,  \vl.-  oing 

to  the  stake,    lift.  :d  holding   it  up, 

That  ///':  'he  fit-ing  of  u  God,  f/.v  -ould 

condemn  him,  fir  it  could  not  make  a.  -If.  The  Hussites, 
e    burned  for    blasphemy — They    blasphemed 
the    church,   by  denying    her   infallibility.    They  bk\s- 

. i -gin,  by  not  worshipping  1:; 
;imaculate  mother  oi  (Jod. 

Thus  much  I  observe  by  the  way,  with  a  view  to 
the  numerous  charges  of  atheism,  blasphemy,  Ecc.  in- 
ii  the  Sons  of  Oil,  accompanied  with 
an  unusual  number  of  notes  of  astonishment,  to  supply, 
it  is  presumed,  the  want  of  argument,  of  which  1  de- 
sign •  •>  detailed  notice. 

In  p..  g  stared  what,  in  his  opinion, 

i*  tin  of  Chris  r,  he  says,  u  This  uni- 

<  n  committed  to  him,  as  it  respects  the 

hum  .  administrations)  consists  in  two 

great  branches ;  namely,  magistracy  and  ministry.'* 

He    then  proceeds  to   shew,  in  eight   particulars, 
whc:-  s  difler  ;  and  again,  in  seven  par- 

•.  herein  they  agree,  to  the  20th  page.   In  page 
lo,  he  say;;,  "  Tin  j  it  Clod  the  Father, 

Son  and  Spiiit,  is  tlu:  original  fountain  irom  which  they 
.Mj'.,e  uny  power  or  authority  whatever  not 
jm    Clod,  illy  considered,    would 

nec<  ad  to  uthti.tticul  principle  ;.  It  must  there- 

fore emanate  from  him.    Rom.  xiii.   1.   "  There  is  no 
.'  To  the  same  purj: occ  is  2  Cor.  v.  18. 


54-  OBSERVATIONS  OH 

*  All  things  are  of  God.5  Civil  power  was  already 
shewn  to  originate  from  God,  as  Creator,  and  to  be 
founded  on  his  universal  dominion,  as  the  King  of 
nations.  Jer.  x.  7.  And  though  all  ecclesiastical  power 
flows  immediately  from  Christ,  as  Mediator,  yet  it  is 
radically  and  fontaliy  in  a  three-one  God.  All  the  right 
and  authority  of  Christ,  as  Mediator,  is  originally  de- 
rived from  God,  as  well  as  civil  power." 

If  this  had  not  been  laid  down  as  a  fundamental 
principle  of  his  system,  it  might  have  passed  unno- 
ticed. The  scripture  texts  which  he  applies  to  sup- 
port this  theory,  were  revealed  for  another  purpose. 
Rom.  xiii.  1.  is  expressly  applicable  to  civil  power. 
Of  this  the  apostle  says,  "  Let  every  soul  be  subject 
to  the  higher  powers ;  for  there  is  no  power  but  of 
God :  the  powers  that  be  are  ordained  of  God."  In 
Cor.  v.  18.  the  apostle  is  treating  of  the  hope  of  glory j 
walking  by  faith,  the  terrors  of  the  Lord  as  an  excite- 
ment to  be  reconciled  to  him  through  Christ,  and  of 
the  constraining  love  of  Christ,  as  a  reason  why  those 
that  are  in  Christ,  should  be  new  creatures ;  and  the 
apostle  assures  them  that  all  these  things,  of  which  he 
is  there  treating,  arc  of  God,  who  had  reconciled  them 
to  himself,  and  committed  to  the  gospel  ministry  the 
word  of  reconciliation.  There  is  not  a  word  here  about 
a  civil  branch  of  Christ's  kingdom,  of  which  he  him- 
self testified  that  it  was  not  of  this  v/orld. 

Man  can  have  no  competent  knowledge  of  God, 
nor  render  to  him  any  acceptable  worship,  but  agree- 
ably to  the  discoveries  he  has  given  of  himself.  To 
man,  in  his  state  of  innocence,  God  revealed  his  divine 
perfections  and  his  will,  so  far  as  was  necessary  for  the 
worship  and  obedience  required  in  that  state.  Even 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF   OIL.  55 

:•  man  had  revolted  from  God,  so  much  of  1. 

perfections  and  of  his   will,   arc  revealed  in  the 
ks  of  creation  and  providence,  and  particularly,  in 
the  relation  in  which  men  stand  to  God,  and  to  each 
other,  as  renders  them  without  excuse  in  not  knowing 
and  worshipping  him  as  the  true  God.  This  the  apostle 
calls  the  law  written  in  the   hearts  of  the  gentiles,  by 
which    their    reason   and   judgment,   viz.   their   con- 
nee,  was   regulated  in  approving  or  condemning 
th-  onduct.  Rom.  ii.  15. 

After  man  had  revolted  from  God,  in  addition  to 
former  discoveries,  he  revealed  himself  as  merciful, 
as  a  God  pardoning  iniquity  through  a  Mediator  ;  but 
not  so  clearly  reveal  the  Deity,  as  subsisting  in 
three  distinct  persons,  as  to  render  the  belief  of  it  a 
condition  of  holding  communion  with  him  in  his  ordi- 
nances, until  by  the  coming  of  Christ  in  the  flesh,  by 
whom  life  and  immortality,  and  particularly  the  doc- 
trine of  the  trinity,  the  spiritual  nature  of  Christ's 
kingdom,  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  were  more 
fully  brought  to  light,  and  henceforth  became,  funda- 
mental articles  of  the  faith  of  Christians  :  consequently, 
whoever  being  favoured  with  the  Christian  scriptures, 
wor  .1  in  any  other  way  than  he  has  therein 

ilcd  himself,  worship  a  false  God,  and  are,  in  so  far, 
idolaters,  however  they  may  declaim  against  idolatry, 
i'on,  popery,  See.  in  others, 
whole  old  and   new  testaments,  ami  even  the 
:  creation  and  providence,  reveal  the  object  of 
worship  to  be  one  God  ;  but  the  new  testament  has  not 
only  clearly  revealed  that  one  God  to  subsist  in  three 
persons,  but  that  Christians,  in  the  exercise  of  faith  and 
worship,  hold  distinct  communion  with  these    three 


56  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

adorable  persons.  With  the  Father  in  love.  «  God  so 
loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son, 
£<r._ John  in.  16.  With  Christ  in  grace — John  i.  14,  17. 
"  The  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and 
truth — Of  his  fulness  have  all  we  received  grace  for 
grace — Grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ."  And 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  in  comfort — John  xiv.  16,  26. 
"  He  shall  give  you  another  Comforter  to  abide  with 
you — But  the  Comforter,  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost, 
shall  teach  you  all  things."  That  well  known  text., 
commonly  called  the  Christian  doxology,  2  Cor.  xiii.  14. 
"  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of 
God,  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with 
you  all,"  is  full  to  the  purpose,  and  is  used  to  conclude 
the  public  worship  in  most,  if  not  all,  Christian  churches, 
however  they  may  differ  otherwise.  It  is  so  used  even 
by  the  church  of  Rome. 

In  order  to  support  his  system,  the  author  unites 
what  God  has  most  explicitly  kept  separate.  Page  8. 
"  This  delegated  power  is  most  conspicuous  in  the 
person  of  the  Mediator.  Into  his  hands  universal  do- 
minion is  committed.  Matth.  xxviii.  18 — "  All  power 
is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth."  From  this  he 
deduces  what  I  have  quoted  above,  viz.  "  This  univer- 
sal dominion  committed  to  him,  as  respects  the  human 
family,  consists  in  two  great  branches  ;  namely,  magis- 
tracy and  ministry."  Again,  "  though  both  these 
branches  are  put  under  the  Mediator's  controul,  yet 
they  are  so  under  different  regulations,"  &c. 

Here  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  the  author  confounds 
the  administration  of  providence  given  to  Christ,  by 
the  Father,  whereby  he  rules  over  men,  angels  and 
devils,  in  consequence  cf  the  Father  having  given  all 


THE   TWO   SO.N'S   OF   OIL.  57 

power  in  heaven  and  earth  unto  him,  with  that  king- 
dom "  which  he  purchased  with  his  own  blood  ;"  Acts 
xx.  28.  and  which  is,  Eph.  i.  14.  called  "  thepurchamd 
possession"  viz.  the  church,  called  a  peculiar  people, 
tec.  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  and  in  Eph.  i.  23.  "  His  body,  the  ful- 
ness of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all ;"  and  that  this  evident 
distinction  might  be  left  without  a  shadow  of  doubt,  the 
apostle  says.  Col.  i.  24.  "  For  his  (viz.  Christ's)  body's 
sake,  ivhich  is  the  church"  The  church,  in  contradis- 
tinction from  the  kingdom  of  this  world,  is  frequently 
called  the  kingdom  of  God. 

That  Christ's  purchased  kingdom  was  specifically 
distinct  from  the  general  kingdom  of  Providence,  the 
administration  of  which  was  given  to  Christ,  is  evident 
from  the  whole  doctrine  and  practice  of  Christ  and 
his  apostles.  They  absolutely  declined  interfering 
with  the  government  of  nations,  or  the  relations 
among  men,  otherwise  than  by  expounding  and  apply- 
ing the  moral  law  to  the  conscience.  They  had  re- 
course only  to  spiritual  armour,  and  engaged  only  in 
spiritual  warfare.  The  Saviour's  solemn  dying  testi- 
mony, however,  ought  to  be  conclusive  with  every 
sober  enquiring  mind.  When  he  was  brought  before 
Pontius  Pilate,  by  whom  he  was  asked,  «  Art  thou 
the  king  of  the  Jews  ?"  To  this  the  Saviour  answered  : 
A'ly  kingdom  is  not  of  thin  world.  If  my  kingdom  were 
of  this  world,  then  would  iny  servants  fight,  that  I  should 
not  be  delivered  to  the  Jews  ;  but  noiv  is  my  kingdom 
not  from  hence"  This  the  apostle  calls  the  good  con- 
fession which  Christ  Jesus  witnessed  before  Pontius 
Pilate.  On  this  precious,  but  much  neglected  text, 
the  learned  Dr.  B.  Hoadly,  bishop  of  Banker,  preach- 
ed a  celebrated  sermon,  which  procured  the  resent- 


OBSERVATIONS   OK 

ment  of  his  high  church  brethren,  but  having  the 
testimony  of  Christ  and  the  apostles  on  his  side,  he 
succeeded  in  an  arduous  controversy,  occasioned  by 
that  excellent  sermon,  a  few  lines  from  which  I  will 
insert. 

"  The  laws  of  his  kingdom,  therefore,  as  Christ 
left  them,  have  nothing  of  this  world  in  their  view ; 
no  tendency  either  to  the  exaltation  of  some  in  worldly 
pomp  and  dignity,  or  to  the  absolute  dominion  over 
the  faith  and  religious  conduct  of  others  of  Christ's 
subjects.  It  is  essential  to  it,  that  all  his  subjects,  in 
what  station  soever  they  may  be,  are  equally  subjects 
to  him  ;  and  that  no  one  of  them,  any  more  than  ano- 
ther, hath  authority,  either  to  make  laws  for  Christ's 
subjects,  or  to  impose  a  sense  of  their  own  on  the 
established  laws  of  his  kingdom,  which  amounts  to 
the  same  thing  as  making  new  laws." 

If  the  laws  of  Christ  in  their  principles,  as  well  as 
in  their  extent,  are  perfect,  with  respect  to  the  rules 
and  orders  of  his  own  house,  which  all  the  different 
denominations  of  presbyterians  profess  to  allow  ;  the 
author's  system  is  contrary  to  this  profession  :  for  nei- 
ther in  the  fourth  chapter  to  the  Ephesians,  nor  in 
the  twelfth  chapter  to  the  Romans,  nor  in  any  other 
portion  of  the  New  Testament  that  treats  of  the  offi- 
cers or  orders  of  Christ's  house,  do  I  find  kings  or  civil 
magistrates  of  any  kind  of  political  governments,  enu- 
merated. They,  therefore,  can  have  no  legal  authority 
in  the  church,  much  less  can  they  have  any  legislative 
authority  over  it.  This  I  take  to  be  a  fair  conclusion. 

I  object  to  the  use  of  the  phrase  "delegated 
fwnver"  as  applied  by  the  author  to  the  Saviour,  with 
respect  to  his  kingdom.  It  is  not  used  in  scripture.  A 


THE  TWO   SONS  OF  Oil,. 

delegate  is  of  the  same  import  as  a  deputy.  The  power 
of  deputies  or  delegates  among  men,  fs  always  subor- 
dinate, and  subject  to  the  instructions  and  controul  of 
the  superior,  and  likewise  liable  to  be  removed ; 
this  is  implied  in  the  very  term.  This  can  by  no  means 
apply  to  Christ's  spiritual  kingdom.  The  apostle  does 
not  call  Christ  a  delegate,  but  a  son  over  his  otunhouae^ 
•<:.  house  are  ye"  viz.  the  church.  Nor  can  it  be, 
with  propriety,  applied  to  him  as  administering  the 
kingdom  of  providence.  It  is  properly  a  given  king- 
dom committed  unto  him,  if  we  are  contented  with  the 
Saviour's  own  words.  Mat.  xxviii.  18.  "All  power  is 
given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth."  John  v.  22. 
"  The  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  committed  all 
judgment  to  the  Son  of  Man." 

In  pages  9  and  10,  he  says,  "  both  these  branches 
are  put  under  the  Mediator's  controul,  yet  they  are 
so  under  different  regulations;"  and  in  p.  15,  he 
says,  "  and  though  all  ecclesiastical  power  flows  im- 
mediately from  Christ  as  Mediator,  yet  it  is  radically 
and  font 'ally  in  a  three-one  God.  All  the  right  and  au- 
thority of  Christ  as  Mediator,  is  originally  derived 
from  God,  as  well  as  civil  power."  I  find  no  ground 
for  saying,  that  in  Christ's  administration  of  his  church 
in  this  world,  it  is  put  under  him ;  that  applies  to  his 
enemies,  whom  he  rules  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  who 
are  obliged  to  submit,  and  to  the  general  administra- 
tion of  providence.  After  he  hath  put  all  his  enemies 
under  his  feet,  and  the  last  enemy,  death,  the  media- 
tory administration  of  the  visible  church  on  earth  will 
be  finished ;  but  it  is  the  present  administration  of 
which  we  now  speak.  Under  it,  the  church  is  not  said 
to  be  put  under  Christ,  but  united  to  him  as  branches 


6£  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

to  the  vine.  His  admitting  only  "  some  different  con- 
siderations  or  regulations  in  the  administration,*'  but 
no  essential  difference  in  the  source  from  which  they 
flow ;  and  his  leading  the  whole,  with  respect  to  th« 
present  administration,  up  to  God,  fontally  considered, 
looks  very  like  a  species  of  Socinianism.  There  are 
such  as  consider  all  the  doctrine  of  the  trinity  to,  be 
only  figurative  descriptions  of  the  various  dispensa- 
tions of  the  one  true  God,  or  modes  of  acting,  viz. 
In  one  character  he  is  represented  a?  the  Father; 
in  another  character  as  the  Son,  and  in  a  third  as  the 
Holy  Ghost,  agreeable  to  the  different  energies  that 
are  manifested.  This  doctrine  I  have  heard  taught  with 
as  much  ingenuity  and  confidence  as  the  reverend 
author  inculcates  his  theory. 

Through  the  weakness  of  our  capacity,  and  the 
imperfection  of  language,  we  are  under  the  necessity 
of  speaking  of  the  things  pertaining  to  God,  in  words 
adapted  to  the  affairs  of  men,  which,  however,  must 
always  have  a  very  limited  application,  especially 
when  they  relate  to  the  being  and  operations  of  Jeho- 
vah ;  and  with  respect  to  which,  it  is  wrong  to  make  a 
man  an  offender  for  the  wrong  or  doubtful  application 
of  a  word.  A  word  also  may  safely  be  applied  to  the 
things  of  God  for  one  purpose,  which  would  be  erro- 
neous when  applied  for  another.  With  respect  to  the 
doctrine  of  the  trinity,  8cc.  the  same  terms  are  fre- 
quently used  on  both  sides  of  the  Socinian  contro- 
versy, but  with  different  views. 

The  term  delegated  power,  so  frequently  and 
indiscriminately  applied  to  the  Saviour  by  the  reve- 
rend author,  has  been  applied  to  Christ  by  some  or- 
thodox commentators,  but  by  none  that  I  know  of  for 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  61 

the  same  purposes,  or  in  the   same    indiscriminate 
manner. 

Christians,  agreeably  to  the  example  of  the  apostles, 
»ot  only  worship  Jehovah  one  God,  but  they  worship 
that  God  in  three  distinct  persons,  each  being  God; 
and  they  worship  and  hold  communion  with  each  of 
these  adorable  persons,  as  they  are  distinguished  by 
the  personal  properties  ascribed  Ho  them  in  the  New 
Testament ;  and  with  each  of  them  as  God.  Christ  had 
power,  even  on  earth,  to  forgive  sin ;  and  it  was  ad- 
mitted by  his  enemies,  that  none  but  God  can  forgive 
sin.  lie  was  prayed  to  as  God,  not  only  for  the  healing 
of  diseases,  but  for  grace  to  believe :  "  Lord,  I  be- 
lieve, help  thou  mine  unbelief.*'  "  Lord,  if  thou  wilt, 
thou  canst  make  me  clean."  "  Only  speak  the  word, 
and  my  servant  shall  be  healed."  These  were  expres- 
sions of  independent,  and  not  of  deputized  or  limited 
powers.  This  is  confirmed  by  the  apostles,  who,  when 
they  wrought  miracles,  declared  that  it  was  not  through 
their  own  power  and  holiness,  but  through  the  power 
of  Christ,  then  risen  from  the  dead.  How  the  act  of 
one  adorable  person  of  the  trinity  is  ascribed  to  the 
whole  trinity;  and  how,  in  worshipping  and  holding 
communion  with  one,  we  worship  and  hold  communion 
with  all  the  adorable  trinity,  is  not  now  to  my  purpose 
to  describe. 

The  power  of  the  apostles  to  preach  the  gospel  and 
to  work  miracles,  was  truly  and  properly  a  delegated 
and  limited  power.  They  declare  themselves  "  Embas- 
sadors  of  Christ,"  2  Cor.  v.  20.  And  "  messengers  of 
the  churches,"  2  Cor.  viii.  23.  The  power  with  which 
Mose's  was  invested,  was  a  delegated  or  deputized  ftnd 
limited  power.  It.  was  the  Jwwer  of  a  servant,  and  as 
E 


OBSERVATIONS  -ON 

such  contrasted  with  the  power  of  Christ,  'which  was 
thai  cf  a  Son.  over  his  oivn  house^  whose  house  is  the 
church.  Heb.  iii.  5,  6.  Consequently,  by  taking  delegated 
or  deputized  power  in  the  sense  in  which  the  author 
has  applied  it,  we  put  the  authority  of  Christ,  and  of 
Moses,  and  the  apostles,  on  an  equal  footing.  This 
did  not  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  scriptures. 

In  doing  this,  however,  he  is  not  without  company. 
All  the  Socinians  will  join  with  him.  They  will  wor- 
ship God  through  his  deputy  or  delegate,  Jesus  Christ. 
They  will  even  admit  him  to  hare  more  extraordinary 
powers  than  Moses,  Sec.  though  of  the  same  kind.  They 
will  admit  any  thing  of  that  kind,  short  of  supreme 
deity,  and  independent  power  in  and  over  his  own  house. 
Not  only  so,  but  he  will  find  associates  in  the  Maho- 
metan camp.  They  teach  that  Jesus  had  a  delegated 
power  to  work  miracles,  8cc.  On  this  principle  he 
might  receive  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  from  the 
Muslem  church  ;  with  respect  to  which,  I  agree  with 
the  learned  Faber,  and  many  other  divines,  that  it  is 
an  apostate  branch  of  the  Christian  church,  and  not 
strictly  heathen. 

The  reverend  author  agrees  also  with  the  Maho- 
metans in  the  method  of  propagating  and  enforcing 
religion,  by  the  sword  of  the  civil  magistrate  ;  but  they 
would  on  just  grounds  deny  that  ever  Jesus,  or  his 
apostles,  authorised  such  a  method,  and  would  -claim 
it  to  their  own  prophet.  In  this  controversy,  the  reve- 
rend author  must  fail ;  for  he  certainly  can  produce  no 
authority  for  propagating  the  Christian  religion  by  the 
sword,  or  lesser  punishments,  from  the  new  testament ; 
nor,  as  I  have  shewn  elsewhere,  even  from  the  peculiar 
Sinai  covenant.  Having  thus  brought  himself,  in  so 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  63 

great  a  measure,  in  unison  with  the  Mahometan 
church,  he  and  they  may  be  left  to  settle  what  differ- 
ences remain.  Before  we  have  done,  we  will  find  him 
in  as  near  a  connexion  with  the  other  apostate  chris-r 
tian  church,  viz.  of  Rome,  in  which  the  blood  of  the 
saints  is  found.  For  the  principles  of  Mahomet,  and 
the  propagation  of  that  extraordinary  delusion,  I  refer 
to  the  first  volume  of  the  Modern  Universal  History ; 
and  for  a  compend  of  it,  to  the  Abbe  Millet's  Elements, 
and  to  the  Encyclopaedia. 

The  author,  however,  intermixes  his  mistakes  with 
some  great  truths.  Page  10,  he  says,  these  two  great 
branches,  as  he  calls  them  elsewhere,  "  differ  in  their 
immediate  origin,  as  already  hinted.  Magistracy  flows 
immediately  from  God  Creator,  and  is  predicated  upon 
his  universal  dominion  over  all  nations.  And  as  it  flows 
from  God  Creator,  the  common  Parent,  and  Head  of 
all,  the  law  of  nature,  common  to  all  men,  must  be  the 
immediate  rule  of  all  its  administrations.  A  relation 
common  to  all,  should  be  regulated  by  a  rule  common 
to  all.  All  stand  in  the  same  relation  to  God,  considered 
as  Creator  and  Moral  Governor.  The  standard  for  re- 
gulating this  relation,  must,  of  course,  be  common. 
This  standard  is  the  law  of  nature,  which  all  men  ne- 
cessarily possess.  Revelation  is  introduced  as  a  rule, 
by  the  requisitions  of  the  law  of  nature,  which  binds 
men  to  receive  with  gratitude,  whatever  God  is  pi 
to  reveal ;  and  to  adhere  to  it,  as  the  perfect  rule,  under 
pain  of  condemnation,  and  being  treated  as  rebels 
against  his  moral  authority.'1 

Page  11.  "  Magistracy  respects  things  external, 
relating  immediately  to  the  outward  man.'*  And  again, 
"  The  magistratical  power  is  lordly  and  imperial.  It 


64  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

belongs  to  its  functionaries  to  exercise  dominion,  as 
the  vicegerents  of  God ;  use  compulsory  measure* 
with  the  disobedient,  and  enforce  obedience  to  the  laws, 
of  which  they  are  the  executors."  And  again,  page  12, 
"  The  immediate  and  proper  end  of  all  civil  power,  is, 
that  the  good  of  the  commonwealth  may  be  provided 
for,  their  temporal  safety  and  civil  liberty  secured  upon 
the  footing  of  the  moral  law."  Page  13.  "  Civil  power 
may  be  vested  in  one  or  more.  This  is  left  to  the  dis- 
cretion of  the  body  politic,  and  is  hence  called  «  an  or- 
dinance of  man?  \  Pet.  ii.  13.  Whatever  the  particular 
form  be,  whether  monarchical  or  republican,  it  is  legi- 
timate, and  entitled  to  obedience,  provided  the  consti- 
tution be  agreeable  to  the  moral  law."  Again,  page  14, 
"  The  civil  power  extends  to  all  persons  resident  within 
the  realm,  be  their  estate,  character  or  condition,  what 
it  may.  Rom.  xiii.  1.  Let  every  soul  be  subject  to  the 
higher  fioivers." 

The  above  is  extracted  from  the  particulars  wherein 
he  states  that  his  civil  and  ecclesiastical  branches 
differ ;  and  to  these  I  cheerfully  agree.  I  am  sorry  that 
I  cannot  agree  with  some  other  positions  on  this  sub- 
ject. 

In  page  9,  the  author  says,  speaking  of  civil  govern- 
ment, "  It  existed  previously  to  the  fall,  and  would  ne- 
cessarily have  existed,  even  had  we  never  revolted  from 
God."  "  Civil  government  does  not,  as  some  modern 
politicians  affirm,  originate  either  in  the  people,  as  its 
fountain,  or  in  the  vices  consequent  upon  the  fall. 
Among  the  angels,  who  retained  their  primitive  recti- 
tude, we  find  certain  orders,  suggested  by  the  denomi- 
nations of  Archangels,  Thrones,  Dominions,  Princi- 
palities and  Powers.  Col.  L  16.  This  testifies  regular 


THE  TWO  JONS  OF  OIJL.  65 

subordination  among  them,  agreeably  to  the  constitu- 
tional laws  of  their  nature." 

Why  did  the  reverend  author  adorn,  exclusively, 
the  angels  who  retained  their  primitive  rectitude,  with 
privileged  orders  ?  Did  he  not  know  that  the  new  tes- 
tament, Matt.  ix.  34.  dignifies  Beelzebub  with  the  ho- 
norary title  of  prince  of  devils — and  John  xii.  "i.  the 
Saviour  dignifies  him  with  the  title  of  the  prince  of 
this  world;  and  in  Eph.  vi.  12.  believer's  are  repre- 
sented as  having  to  contend  \\ith  principalities  and 
powers  ;  and  that  in  Col.  ii.  15.  Christ  is  represented 
as 'having  spoiled  those  principalities,  and  as  having 
made  a  shew  of  them  openly  ?  Why  did  not  the  author 
admit  the  honour  of  privileged  orders  among  the 
angels,  as  well  as  those  who  kept  their  original 
rec'iiuidc  ?  This  was  an  unauthorised  insult  on  the 
n  angels,  such  as  Michael  the  archangel  did  not 
think  it  proper  to  make. 

This  affords,  however,  a  reason  in  addition  to  such 
as  he   has  afterwards   given,  why   he   cannot  homolo- 
,    that   is,    acknowledge   the    government   of  the 
.   They  have  no  principalities  ;  they  have 
no  archangels,  nor  archbishops  ;   they  have  no  here- 
ditary dominions,  nor  honorary  titles,  but  they  believe 
have  acted  agreeably  to  the  law  of  their  nature, 
h  brought  them   all   into   the   world  with   equal 
••.,  though   not   with   equal  capacities  to  maintain 
those  rights.  The  author  is  requested  to  explain  what 
the  law  of  the  nature   of  angels,  to   which  he  up; 
in  support  of  privileged  orders,  was.  Were  they 
pagated  by  one   pair,  and  did  tUcy  pass  a  long  proba- 
tion, before  they   were  in  a   situation  to  institute  civil 
rnmcnts   and  privileged   orders?  Or,   were  they 


toii  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

created  tog-ether  and  at  once,  and  their  government 
and  order  instituted  immediately  by  their  Creator, 
suitably  to  the  place  and  station  in  which  they  were  to 
be  employed  ?  Till  the  author  answers  these  questions, 
we  are  not  bound  to  apply  the  government  of  angels 
to  the  government  of  men  ;  because  we  believe  the 
laws  of  their  nature  are  not  the  same.  He  speaks  of 
modern  philosophers,  Sec.  He  hirnself  is  the  only  me- 
dern,  or  at  least,  novel  philosopher,  I  have  met  with 
on  that  subject. 

If,  as  the  author  asserts,  civil  government  existed 
previously  to  the  fall,  he  is  requested  to  inform  us, 
who  were  the  privileged  orders,  principalities  or 
powers,  that  exercised  the  government,  and  who  were 
the  subordinate  officers  and  subjects.  The  scripture 
informs  us  of  only  one  man  and  his  wife,  of  the  human 
family,  existing  before  the  fall.  Dt>es  the  author  believe, 
with  some  others,  that  a  numerous  race  was  created 
before  Adam,  and  that  he  was  created  to  be  their  so- 
vereign? or,  does  he  mean  that  civil  government  ex- 
isted in  the  Divine  decree  before  the  fall  ?  To  the  last 
I  agree  ;  but  at  the  same  time,  and  in  the  same  man- 
ner, I  believe  that  the  reverend  author  and  myself 
existed. 

It  appears,  in  examining  the  Sons  of  Oil,  that  at 
least  one  great  object  of  civil  government,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  author,  is  the  execution  of  penalties^  viz. 
to  stone,  burn,  hang,  or  otherwise  punish,  such  as  did 
not  believe  or  worship  agreeably  to  his  own  opinion 
of  the  will  of  God,  or,  at  least,  the  opinion  of  the  civil 
magistrate.  He  is  seriously  asked,  what  crimes,  here- 
sies or  unbelief,  took  place  before  men  revolted  from 
God,  for  which  such  penalties  could  be  executed  i 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL  67 

The  reverend  author  has,  in  the  prosecution  of  his 
work,  treated  of  ecclesiastic  government  in  connexion 
with  the  civil,  as  branches  of  the  same  government ; 
thus  connecting  what  the  Saviour  and  his  apostles, 
with  the  greatest  care,  kept  separate.  But  as  every 
thing  respecting  the  church  of  Christ  in  the  new  tes- 
tament, is  equally  addressed  to  every  hearer  of  the 
word,  in  that  plain,  yet  dignified  language,  which  is 
the  peculiarity  and  ornament  of  the  scriptures  of  truth. 
I  will  not  intrude  my  observations  on  his  thesis  on  that 
subject,  unless  it  is  thrust  in  my  way.  Therefore,  I 
pass  over  without  notice,  seven  particulars  wherein  he 
his  two  great  branches  agree,  and  come  to  his 
fourth  head,  page  20,  which  he  says  is  "  to  shew  what 
concern  the  civil  branch  should  take  with  the  eccle- 
siastic, or  enquire  how  far  the  civil  power,  circa  sacra., 
cs." 

This  power,  circa  sacra,  not  being  mentioned  nor 
defined  in  the  new  test  Mnent,  nor  invested  by  Christ 
or  his  apostles  in  the  civil  magistrate,  Christians  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it.  I  know  it  is  a  term  used  in  the 
scramble  for  power,  which  has  often  taken  place  in 
national  churches.  The  church  of  Christ  is  the  sanir. 
in  all  nations.  It  in  built  on  the  foundation  of  the  pro- 
phets and  apostles,  Jesus  Christ  being  the  chief  i 
stone.  Eph.  ii.  20.  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay, 
than  that  is  laid,  'which  is  Jesun  Christ.  1  Cor.  iii.  11. 

•nal  churches,  as  such,  being  founded  on  In 
fallible  authority,  are  not,  in  their  national  character, 
churches  of  Christ.  I  agree,  however,  with  the  learned 
Bishop    Headly,    (himself  a  dignitary   of  a    national 
church)  that  they  may  be  schools  of  instruction,  and 


68  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

may,  as  well  as  several  other  denominations,  contain 
Christ's  disciples  within  them. 

The  author  attempts  to  support  his  unscriptural 
power,  circa  sacra,  by  a  quotation  from  Deut.  vii.  5. 
"  Destroy  their  altars,"  See.  This,  and  every  part  of 
that  law  of  peculiarity,  all  the  requirements  of  which 
have  been  fulfilled,  and  the  law  itself  abolished  after 
it  had  served  the  purposes  intended  by  the  divine 
Lawgiver,  having  been  fully  spoken  to  already,  to  that 
I  refer,  and  pass  it  over  at  this  time,  and  every  other 
quotation  from  that  law,  though  I  know  in  it  the  au- 
thor's great  strength  lies  ;  for  he  carefully  avoids  the 
authority  of  Christ  and  his  apostles  in  their  decisions. 

In  page  27,  he  says,  "  Thus,  the  civil  authority  is 
concerned,  in  sanctioning  and  ratifying  the  laws  of  the 
Most  High  God,"  8cc.  Again,  "  As  it  is  his  duty  to 
ratify  the  law  of  God,  in  like  manner  he  ought  to  sanc- 
tion, by  his  civil  authority,  the  decrees  of  ecclesiastical 
courts,  when  agreeable  to  the  law  of  God,"  &c. 

In  page  30,  he  says, "  He  (the  civil  magistrate)  hath 
a  right  to  judge  of  the  decrees  of  ecclesiastical  assem- 
blies, whether  they  are  agreeable  to  the  law  of  God, 
the  supreme  law  of  the  land."  Again  he  says,  "  Before 
he  gives  his  sanction  to  any  church  deed,  he  must  bring 
it  to  this  sacred  touch-stone  ;  if  it  agrees  therewith,  he 
ought  to  ratify  it,  if  not,  he  has  not  only  a  right  to  reject 
it,  but  he  is  also  bound  to  stamp  his  negative  upon  it." 
Thus  the  magistrate's  discretion  is,  with  him  the  test 
of  truth. 

"  This  ratification  of  it  is  solely  civil,  and  similar  to 
his  sanctioning  of  civil  ordinances." 

"  If  this  power  is  denied  him,  he  must  be  consider- 
ed as  a  being  of  no  discretion,  and,  consequently,  unfit 


THE  TWO   SONS  OF   OIL.  69 

u>  be  a  civil  magistrate,  To  suppose  him  bound  to  ra- 
tify whatever  the  church  might  decree,  without  pre- 
vious examination  and  conviction  of  its  propriety,  would 
make  him  a  mere  tool,  fit  for  nothing  but  propping  up 
the  crazy  chair  of  the  man  of  sin." 

In  the  above  quotations  compared,  in  order  to  come 
at  their  true  meaning,  we  have  the  reverend  author's 
principles  fully  developed.  In  my  first  view  of  his 
book,  I  had  a  favourable  opinion  of  the  author  as  a 
pious  Christian  minister,  though  probably,  like  other 
Christians,  mistaken  in  some  points.  But  when  I  found 
him  talking  about  the  civil  magistrate  sanctioning  and 
ratifying  the  laws  of  the  Most  High  God,  I  was  a  little 
alarmed,  but  consoled  myself  with  the  opinion,  that  he 
did  not  understand  or  mean  what  he  expressed ;  that 
he  only  meaned  that  he  should  ratify  or  sanction  laws 
agreeable  to  the  laws  of  God  :  but  when  I  read,  in 
page  30,  that  this  ratification  of  it  is  solely  civil,  and 
similar  to  his  sanctioning  civil  ordinances,  I  was  so 
astonished,  that  I  would  have  laid  the  book  down  with- 
out reading  further  ;  but  reasons  existed  which  in- 
duced me  to  proceed,  though  with  reluctance. 

Before  we  proceed  further,  it  is  proper  to  examine, 
by  the  strictest  rules,  the  terms  made  use  of  by  the 
.end  author.  The  term  ratify  as  explained  by 
Johnson,  the  great  Isxicographer  of  the  English  lan- 
guage, and  others,  means  to  confirm  and  settle.  The 
term  s.anctl'.n,  means  the  act  of  confirmation,  which 
gives  to  any  thing  its  obligatory  power,  or  a  law  or  de- 
cree ratified.  This  sense  of  the  word,  I  find,  is  con- 
firmed by  numerous  authors  of  the  greatest  name,  and 
must  be  conclusive  on  the  author,  who  was  educated  in 
a  British  seminary.  It  is,  in  fact,  agreeable  to  com- 
mon usac-e. 


7t  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

In  this  country,  laws  are  passed,  with,  or  without,  a 
sanction,  or  penalty,  as  the  legislature  think  proper.  If 
njienalty,  or  sanction,  is  annexed,  to  enforce  the  execu- 
tion of  a  law,  it  is  a  part  of  the  law  itself.  A  law  may 
exist  without  such  a  sanction ;  but,  it  is  presumed,  in 
no  country,  can  any  thing  be  a  law  until  it  is  ratified  by 
the  authority  prescribed  by  the  government.  A  clerk, 
or  a  chairman  of  a  committee,  may  write,  or  a  legisla- 
tive branch  may  pass  a  bill,  but  it  is  not  a  law,  until 
it  is  ratified  in  due  form.  So  also  it  is  with  a  patent  for 
land,  &c.  I  am  ashamed  of  dwelling  so  long  on  so  plain 
a  case. 

Christians  had  usually  thought  that/Ae  law  of  God 
was  perfect^  and  fully  sanctioned  and  ratified,  as  it  came 
to  the  first  of  men,  and  as  a  new  edition  of  it  was  given 
on  Mount  Sinai,  and  also  as  explained  and  applied  in 
the  New  Testament.  They  have  now  to  learn,  from 
the  reverend  author,  that  it  is  not  a  law  until  it  is  rati- 
fied and  sanctioned  by  the  civil  magistrate.  Common 
sense  dictates,  that  nothing  can  be  a  Jaw  till  it  is  rati- 
fied, and  that  it  must  be  ratified  by  the  highest  autho- 
rity :  the  reverend  author  says  this  is  the  civil  magis- 
trate ;  thus  making  the  civil  magistrate  superior  to 
God. 

When  Thomas  Paine's  Age  of  Reason  was  first 
presented  to  me,  I  read  a  few  pages  of  it  and  laid  it 
aside.  A  gentleman  near  me  rallied  me,  on  the  account 
of  my  (as  he  supposed)  delicacy ;  he  took  it  up,  and 
said  he  would  read  it  throughout ;  but  he  soon  laid  it 
past,  not  on  account  of  the  reasons  it  assigned,  but  on 
account  of  the  indecency  of  the  language :  with  this 
book  my  feelings  were  somewhat  hurt,  but  nothing 
in  comparison  to  what  they  were  on  reading  the  Sons 


T»«  TWO  SOWS  OF  OIL.  71 

of  Oil,  where  the  author  says  that  "  the  civil  magistrate's 
ratification  of  the  laws  of  the  Most  High  God,  is  similar 
to  his  sanctioning  of  civil  ordinances  ;  that  this  ratification 
•was  solely  civil,  &c.  Thomas  Paine  was  a  professed 
deist — the  reverend  author  is  a  professed  Christian, 
and  yet  on  this  point  he  has  equalled  even  Thomas 
Paine  in  deism.  Civil  ordinances,  indeed,  have  no  force 
until  they  are  ratified  according  to  the  forms  pre- 
scribed ;  and  according  to  the  author,  the  laws  of  God 
stand  in  need  of  this  ratification,  before  they  have  the 
force  of  laws ;  for  nothing  can  be  a  law  till  it  is  ratified. 
This,  however,  is  too  plain  a  case  to  be  dwelt  longer 
upon.  I  had,  not  long  since,  left  the  author,  among  the 
Muslems,  to  contend  about  their  respective  claims  for 
the  authority  of  hanging,  burning,  8cc.  I  have  now 
found  him  encamped  with  deists,  we  will  pursue  his 
meandc rings  a  little  further,  perhaps  we  may  find  the 
reverend  author  in  some  safe  retreat.  He  has,  perhaps, 
taken  shelter  under  the  expansive  shade  of  human 
infallibility,  though  he  may  not  ackhowlcdge  the  re- 
fuge he  has  taken. 

In  page  8.  the  author  states,  as  before  quoted,  the 
dominion  of  Christ  to  consist  of  two  great  branches, 
namely,  magistracy  and  ministry,  or  as  he  afterwards 
explain^  it,  civil  and  ecclesiastic  branches,  of  which  he 
says,  p.  9.  "  Ecclesiastical  power  is  delegated  to  him," 
Sec.  Of  this  delegation  I  have  spoken  already,  and 
shewed  that  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  church,  which 
he  jiurchased  with  his  own  blood,  and  that  the  mim.sters 
of  the  gospel  are  his  delegates  or  deputies,  not  to  enact 
laws  for  Christ's  house,  but  to  execute  the  laius  which 
Christ,  the  church's  lawgiver,  has  already  made  and 
published  in  the  New  Testament,  which  concludes 


72  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

with  a  prohibition,  under  the  most  severe  penalty,  pro- 
nounced against  su«h  as  add  to,  or  diminish  from,  his 
law.  This  solemn  conclusion  is  worthy  to  be  inserted 
at  large.  "  If  any  man  shall  add  unto  these  things,  God 
shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that  are  written  in  this 
book  ;  and  if  any  man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of 
this  prophecy,  God  shall  take  away  his  name  out  of  the 
look  of  lifer 

I  agree  with  Dr.  Owen,  and  other  learned  Puritan 
divines,  that  no  such  ecclesiastic  authority  (or  branch, 
as  the  author  is  pleased  to  call  it)  as  has  been  instituted 
by  national  churches,  or  even  by  churchmen  in  the 
third  century,  when  they  assumed  a  law  making  power 
over  Christ's  house,  and  the  falling  away  foretold  by 
the  apostle  commenced,  was  instituted  by  Christ  or 
his  apostles.  It  was  an  addition  to  the  laws  of  Christ, 
and  God  added  to  them  all  the  plagues  which  the 
church  underwent,  through  the  long  and  dark  night 
of  the  grand  apostacy. 

To  prevent  being  misunderstood,  I  explicitly  declare 
my  opinion,  that  neither  church  nor  state  have  any 
law-making  power  in  the  church  of  Christ.  That  the 
state  has  a  legislative  authority  to  prescribe  rules  of 
civil  life  to  all  its  citizens  or  subjects,  not  contrary  to 
the  moral  law  of  nature,  but  has  no  authority  tp  inter- 
fere with  the  worship  of  God,  further  than  to  afford 
protection  in  the  exercise  of  it,  so  that  Christians  -may 
lead  a,  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all  godliness  and  ho- 
nesty. 1  Tim.  ii.  2.  This  was  all  the  apostle  enjoined 
Timothy  and  the  church  to  desire  or  pray  for.  The 
power  of  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  extends  no  further 
than  to  declare  what  the  will  of  Christ  is,  as  revealed 
in  his  word,  and  to  administer  his  ordinances,  They 


THE   TWO  SONS  OF   OIL.  TJ 

have  no  power  to  institute  new  ordinances,  rior  to 
annex  new  qualifying  conditions,  to  entitle  believers  to 
the  enjoyment  of  such  ordinances  as  Christ  has  insti- 
tuted ;  therefore,  the  power  of  the  gospel  ministry  is 
not  improperly  said,  by  some,  to  be  only  ministeriui 
and  declarative  ;  and  by  others,  to  be  executive. 

Even  in  national  churches,  except  the  church  of 
Rome,  the  clergy  are  not  admitted  to  exercise  a  le- 
gislative authority.  This  is  claimed  and  exercised  by 
the  state  :  and  even  in  England,  which,  with  respect  to 
church  government  and  ceremonies,  made  the  least 
remove  from  the  church  of  Rome  of  any  of  the  re- 
formed churches,  the  state  does  not  profess  to  make 
decrees  to  bind  the  conscience,  with  respect  to  the 
worship  of  God.  In  the  20th  article  of  that  national 
church,  it  is  said,  "  The  church  hath  power  to  decree 
rites  or  ceremonies,  and  authority  in  controversies  of 
faith ;"  and  it  concludes  by  saying,  "  it  ought  not  to 
decree  any  thing  against  God's  word  ;  and  besides  the 
same,  it  ought  not  to  enforce  any  thing  to  be  believed 
of  necessity  to  salvation."  Even  with  respect  to  gene- 
ral councils,  in  the  following  article  it  is  said,  "  Where- 
fore, things  ordained  by  them  as  necessary  to  salva- 
tion, have  neither  strength  nor  authority,  unless  it 
may  be  taken  from  the  holy  scriptures  :"  yet  they 
persecuted  such  as  did  not  approve  their  rites  and 
ceremonies. 

The  learned  divines  and  gentlemen  appointed  by 
the  two  houses  of  Parliament  to  meet  at  Westminster, 
in  order  to  give  advice  on  such  questions  as  Parlia- 
ment would  propound  to  them,  with  respect  to  a  pro- 
posed revision  of  the  establishment  of  the  national 
religion,  in  the  31st  chapter  say,  "  All  synods  and 
G 


74  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

councils  since  the  apostles'  times,  whether  general  or 
particular,  may  err,  and  many  have  erred  ;  therefore, 
they  are  not  to  be  made  the  rule  of  faith  or  practice." 
In  the  revision  of  the  39  articles  of  the  church  of  En- 
gland, by  that  assembly,  scarcely  any  change  is  made. 
The  words  are,  "  The  holy  scripture  containeth  all 
things  necessary  to  salvation  ;  so  that  whatsoever  is 
not  read  therein,  nor  may  be  proved  thereby,  is  not  to 
be  believed  as  an  article  of  faith,  or  necessary  to  sal- 
vation." 

All  who  are  acquainted  with  the  nature  of  govern- 
ment, must  at  once  see  the  absurdity  of  considering 
civil  government,  and  the  government  of  the  church 
of  Christ,  as  different  branches  of  the  same  govern- 
ment. In  all  free  governments,  the  governing  power 
is  separated  into  different  departments  or  branches, 
such  as,  the  legislative,  the  executive,  and  the  judi- 
ciary. These  three  being  exercised  by  one  person,  or 
by  one  body  of  men,  is,  in  the  opinion  of  the  celebrated 
Montesquieu,  the  definition  of  tyranny.  In  most  free 
governments,  in  order  to  secure  mature  deliberation, 
the  legislature  is  divided  into  two  branches,  viz.  se- 
nate and  representatives.  The  concurrence  of  both  is 
necessary  to  pass  a  law.  In  Britain,  the  king  has  a 
complete  negative  on  passing  the  laws,  and  so  have 
his  governors  in  the  colonies.  In  several  governments 
in  the  United  States,  the  executive  has  a  qualified  ne- 
gative, that  is,  so  far  as  to  send  it  back  for  reconside- 
ration, and  to  require  the  concurrence  of  two  thirds. 
This  is  the  case  with  the  federal  government ;  but  all 
is  one  government,  under  one  fundamental  law,  and 
that  varying  in  different  states  agreeable  to  that  dis- 
cretion which  the  author  himself,  page  14,  says  they 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  7o 

have  a  right  to  exercise  :  "  Whatever  the  form  be,  J 
whether  monarchical  or  republican,  it  is  legitimate, 
and  entitled  to  obedience."  Now,  I  inquire,  what  place 
or  department,  in  this  machine  of  government,  has  he 
left  for  the  ecclesiastical  branch,  wherein  to  operate  ? 
It  could  not  act  in  passing  laws — that  belongs  to  the 
legislature.  It  could  not  execute  laws — that  belongs 
to  the  executive.  It  cannot  be  employed  in  applying 
.w  to  cases  as  they  arise— this  belongs  to  the 
judiciary.  Ecclesiastical  government,  as  instituted  in 
national  churches,  by  human  authority,  is  in  so  far,  the 
ordinance  of  man  ;  but  few  of  these  governments  give 
that  branch  much  share  even  in  its  own  government. 
In  England,  the  bishops  in  parliament  do  not  sit  as 
clergymen,  but  as  Barons,  in  right  of  the  barony  at- 
tached to  the  diocese.  They  have  no  ecclesiastic 
branch ;  and  the  church  of  Rome  has  no  civil  branch. 
On  the  author's  own  principle,  laid  down  page  12, 
viz.  "  But  cc  clesiastical  power  is  altogether  immate- 
rial" it  is  well  known  that  ministerial  power  is  neces- 
sarily a  subordinate  character  under  the  government, 
and  not  a  component  part  or  branch  of  the  government 
itself.  Ministerial  characters  arc  agents  of  the  execu- 
..ower,  whether  they  act  at  home  or  abroad  ;  there- 
fore cannot  be  a  branch  of  the  government  itself. 
Hence,  in  scripture  language,  it  always  means  one  who 
S  and  not  one  who  commands,  or  makes  laws. 
Indeed,  in  this  instance,  the  reverend  author  has  in  so 
far  defined  ecclesiastic  power  agreeable  to  the  gospel; 
it  being  altogether  ministerial.  It  cannot  be  at  all  le- 
gislative ;  that  is  to  say,  have  power  to  make  1 
How  then  can  he  call  it  a  great  branch  of  anj 
ment  ?  Of  a  political  government  it  is  evident  it  cannot 


76  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

be  a  branch ;  and  it  is  still  more  evident  that  it  cannot 
make  laws  for  the  government  of  the  church  of  Christ, 
Even  the  apostles  were  only  "  able  ministers  of  the 
new  testament,  approving  themselves  as  the  ministers 
of  God."  2  Cor.  iii.  6.  and  vi.  4.  ,When  they  wrought 
miracles,  or  prescribed  laws  to  the  church,  they  did  so 
solely  by  the  authority  of  Christ,  the  church's  head 
and  lawgiver.  They  did  not  claim,  or  attempt  to  exer- 
cise the  authority  of  a  branch  of  the  government  of 
either  church  or  state.  They  disclaimed  "  being  lords 
over  God's  heritage,"  1  Pet.  v.  3.  or  "  having  domi- 
nion over  the  faith  of  the  church."  2  Cor.  i.  24. 

I  admit  the  originality  of  the  author's  idea,  page  8. 
<*  This  universal  dominion  committed  to  him,  (Christ) 
as  it  respects  the  human  family,  in  its  administrations, 
consists  in  two  great  branches,  namely  magistracy  and 
ministry."  I  say,  I  admit  the  thought  to  have  the  credit 
of  originality,  but  not  of  prudence.  He  ought  to  have 
explored  the  ground  with  care,  before  he  ventured  to 
invite  his  friends  to  travel  on  it.  I  have  already  de- 
monstrated, that  the  apostles  disclaimed  it.  Constan- 
tine,  an  unbaptised  Christian,  attempted  something  like 
it ;  but  \vhen  he  thought  proper,  exercised  the  power 
of  both  branches  by  his  own  authority.  Finally,  the 
ecclesiastic  branch  wrested  it  from  the  civil,  and  dis- 
posed of  kings  and  kingdoms  at  their  discretion,  and 
made  slaves  of  the  souls  of  men. 

The  authority  which  the  author  gives  to  the  civil 
magistrate,  to  ratify  the  laws  of  the  Most  High  God, 
p.  27,  and  his  asserting  that  this  authority  is  similar, 
that  is,  equal  to  his  sanctioning  power  of  civil  ordi- 
nances, (that  is  to  say,  they  cannot  be  ordinances,  or 
have  any  obligation,  till  they  are  ratified  and  sanctioned 


THE  TWO   SON'S  OF  OIL  77 

4 

by  the  civil  magistrate)  is  perfectly  in  unison  with  the 
learned  Hak-'s  public  <  ;iiat  the  only 

test  of  right   or   wrong  is   the    laws    of  the    common- 

•h." 

To  this  it  may  be  objected,  that  he  is  only  to  ratify 

the  laws  of  the  M        High  God,  "  acting  as  a  terror  to 

evil    doers,   and  a  praise    to  them  that  do  well,"  and 

in  like  manner.  iction,  by  his  civil  authority,  the 

decrees  of  ecclesiastical  courts,  when  agreeable  to  the 

law  of  God,  and  calculated  to  promote  his  glory,"  page 

27  ;  and  p.  ••  Before  he  gives  his  sanction  to  any 

church  deed,   he    must  bring  it  to  this  sacred  touch- 

fthe    divine     law);  if  it  agrees    therewith,   he 

ought  to  ratify  it,  if  not,  he  has  not  only  a  ri^ht  to  re- 

:,  but  he  is  also  bound  to  stamp  his  negative  upon 

it."  This,  indeed,  looks  plausible;  but  when  qualified 

/.hat  immediately  follows,  it  will  appear  hollow. 

1  magistral*)  must  be  considered  as  a 

of  no  discretion,  and,  consequently,  unfit  to  t 

lagistrate,"  if  he  has  not  the  power  of  mil- 

law,  and  the  decrees  of  the  church,  si?; 

:.u  his  ratifying  civil  laws.  "  To  suppose  him  to  ratify 

whatever  the  church  might  decree,  without  previous 

.nation  and  conviction  of  its  propriety,  would  make 

him  a  mere  tool,  fit  for  nothing  but  propping  up  the 

chair  of  the  man  of  sin.''  This  language  ^p 
equally  to  the  laws  of  Gou.  as  to  the  decrees  oi 
church,  as  in  his  opinion,  both  require  the  rat'r'icutijn 
of  the    civil  magi  :  d   they   cannot   '.K 

ordinances,  until  they  are  ratified  ;  and  Lhc  in  . 
if  he   has  the  authority,  and  it  be  his  duty, 

o   his  b' 


78  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

ment  and  moral  discretion.  Unless  this  is  the  case,  it 
could  not  be  a  moral  act,  nor  be  obligatory. 

It  is  proper  to  enquire,  -wherein  does  this  differ 
from  the  doctrine  of  the  church  of  Rome  ?  Only  in  one 
particular.  That  church  places  the  ratifying  and  sanc- 
tioning power  of  the  law  of  God,  in  the  Pope,  the  head 
of  their  church,  to  whom  they  openly  ascribe  infalli- 
bility, and  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  au- 
thor places  this  very  important  and  sacred  trust,  both 
with  respect  to  the  laws  of  God,  and  the  decrees  of  the 
church,  in  the  civil  magistrate,  to  whom,  by  necessary 
implication,  he  must  ascribe  infallibility  :  for  this  is 
essential  to  the  trust  which  the  author  reposes  in  him. 

In  another  important  particular,  however,  the  au- 
thor and  the  Pope  more  cordially  agree.  The  creed  of 
Pope  Pius,  declares  its  approbation  of  the  scriptures, 
agreeable  to  the  sense  affixed  to  it  by  their  church. 
The  author  approves  of  it,  agreeable  to  the  sense  as- 
signed to  it  by  the  ratifying  and  sanctioning  discretion 
of  the  civil  magistrate.  Both  of  them  agree,  however, 
in  applying  the  authority  of  scripture  in  support  of  this 
anti-Christian  claim.  Protestants  have  long  charged  the 
church  of  Rome  with  arguing  in  a  circle,  which  they 
call  sophistry.  For  instance,  the  church  of  Rome  ap- 
peals to  the  scriptures  for  the  infallible  authority  of 
their  church,  and  they  also  appeal  to  the  church  for  the 
authority  of  scripture,  agreeable  to  the  sense  assigned 
to  it  by  itself.  Agreeably  to  this,  the  reverend  author 
attempts  to  prove  the  ratifying  and  sanctioning  power 
of  the  civil  magistrate  from  the  scripture,  and  the  au- 
thority and  sense  in  which  the  scripture  and  church 
decrees  ought  to  be  received  under  civil  penalties,  is, 
according  to  him,  to  be  determined  by  the  civil 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  70 

magistrate's  discretion.  Yet  as  the  pope  claims  this 
power  to  the  church,  the  author  calls  him  Anti- 
christ, and  the  man  of  sin  with  his  crazy  chair  ;  and  for 
claiming  it  to  the  state,  papists  call  him  an  heretic-) 
while,  at  the  same  time,  they  agree  about  the  fundn 
mental  doctrine  on  which  their  respective  systems  arc 
built,  viz.  that  the  scriptures  are  the  law  of  the  most 
high  God,  in  that  sense  only  in  which  it  is  ratified  and 
sanctioned  by  human  authority. 

As  the  author  professes  to  support  the  reforma- 
tion testimony  of  the  church  of  Scotland,  it  may  be  of 
use  to  examine  what  that  testimony  was.  In  doing 
this,  I  am  at  some  loss  for  want  of  Calderwood's  his- 
tory of  that  church,  which  I  have  not  had  an  opportu- 
nity of  examining  for  thirty  years  past,  and  of  which  a 
new  edition  ought  to  be  encouraged;  however,  I  have 
an  opportunity  of  examining  the  Hind  let  loose,  by  the 
Rev.  Alexander  Shields,  recognized  and  recommend- 
ed by  the  reformed  presbytery  in  Scotland,  about  fifty 

re,  in  their  judicial  testimony. 
On  period  iv.  p.  31.  that  reverend  and  acute  au- 
thor says- — "  Hitherto  the  conflict  was  for  the  concerns 
of  Christ's  prophetical  and  priestly  offices,  again:. t 
Paganism  and  Popery,  but  from  the  year  1570,  ami 
downward,  the  testimony  is  stated  and  gradually  pro- 
secuted for  the  rights,  privileges,  and  prerogatives  of 
Christ's  kingly  office,  which  has  been  the  peculiar 
glory  of  the  church  of  Scotland,  above  all  the  chin 

.c  earth,"  &c.  The  witnesses  of  that  day  made 
such  great  account  of  it,  that  they  encouraged  one 
another  to  suffer  for  it  as  the  greatest  concern.  In  sup- 
port of  this  bt  ing  the  testimony  of  the  church  at  that 
period,  he  inserts  a  number  of  testimonies  of  reforma- 


80  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

tion  divines  of  the  greatest  note  for  talents  and  in- 
tegrity, which  that  age  produced,  such  as  Forbes, 
Welch,  Knox,  Bruce,  the  two  Melvins,  Lindsay,  Black, 
the  famous  Mr.  Davidson,  &c.  men  who  were  or- 
naments to  that  church  and  nation.  I  can,  however, 
insert  but  a  few  extracts. 

Mr.  Knox,  by  many  called  the  apostle  of  the  Scot- 
tish reformation,  was  the  disciple  of  Calvin,  denoun- 
ced anathemas  against  the  civil  government  (branch 
in  the  reverend  Mr.  Wylie's  language)  interfering 
with  the  church  of  Christ.  The  general  assembly  re- 
monstrated to  the  king  "  that  he  had  taken  on  him  a 
spiritual  power,  which  properly  belongs  to  Christ,  as 
king  and  only  head  of  the  church."  Mr.  Andrew 
Melvin  protests  "  that  they  were  too  bold  (viz.  the 
civil  government)  to  take  upon  them  to  judge  of  the 
doctrine,  and  to  controul  the  ambassadors  of  a  greater 
than  was  there."  Mr.  James  Melvin  wrote  "  that  they 
had  not  only  set  up  a  new  pope,  and  so  became  traitors 
to  Christ,  and  had  condescended  to  the  chief  errors  of 
papistry -,  upon  'which  all  the  rest  depended  ;  but further, 
they  had  granted  more  to  the  king,  than  ever  the  popes 
of  Rome  peaceably  obtained." 

The  above  is  perfectly  in  unison  with  all  I  have 
advanced,  in  opposition  to  the  reverend  author's  idol, 
viz.  the  civil  magistrate's  authority  to  sanction  and 
ratify  the  laws  of  the  most  high  God,  and  the  decrees 
of  the  ecclesiastic  branch,  the  qualification  and  ordina- 
tion of  ministers,  Sec. 

The  commissioners  of  the  general  assembly,  in 
support  of  the  declinature  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Black,  say, 
44  there  are  two  jurisdictions,  the  one  spiritual,  the  other 
civil;  the  one  respecting  the  conscience,  the  other 


1HE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  fci 

respecting  externals,"  8cc.  The  famous  reformer, 
John  Welch,  while  a  prisoner,  giving  this  testimony 
in  favour  of  the  independence  of  Christ's  kingdom,  on 
the  kingdoms  of  this  world,  viz.  (the  author's  civil 
branch)  says,  "  These  two  points  [l]  that  Christ  is 
the  head  of  his  church,  [2j  That  she  is  free  in  her  go- 
nnent  from  all  other  jurisdiction  except  Christ's — 
are  the  special  causes  of  our  imprisonment,  being  now 
convicted  as  traitors  for  maintaining  thereof."  Again 
in  1606,  the  ministers  offer  a  protestation  to  parlia- 
ment, in  perfect  conformity  to  the  above.  There  is 
much  more  to  the  same  purpose  in  this  period,  testi- 
fying that  Christ's  kingdom  is  not  connected  with,  or 
dependent  on  the  kingdoms  of  this  world.  How  fla- 
grantly opposed  is  the  reverend  Mr.  Wylie  to  the 
church  of  Scotland,  in  the  reformation  period  !  Why 
dkl  he  appeal  to  the  reformers  and  martyrs  for  Christ 
during  the  reformation,  while  his  avowed  principles 
were  in  direct  opposition  to  theirs  ?  They  submitted  to 
imprisonment,  and  banishment  to  foreign  lands,  in 
«e  to  ever  appearing  before  the  king  and 
council  to  give  account  of  their  doctrine  or  ordination. 
The  ordination  of  the  precious  Robert  Bruce  was 
questioned  by  king  James  and  his  council.  These 
pious  and  zealous  reformers  of  the  church  of  Scot- 
land, testified,  in  direct  opposition  to  the  new  fangled 
doctrine  of  tUe  reverend  Mr.  Wylie.  How  can  he 
have  the  confidence  to  appeal  to  the  reformers  and 
martyrs !  whose  principles  were  so  directly  opposite 
to  his  own  ? 


CHAPTER  n. 

A  historical  review  of  the  author's  standard  period  of  the  church, 
and  of  his  emperors  and  councils — A  vindication  of  die  constitu- 
tion of  Pennsylvania,  with  respect  to  the  rights  and  liberty  of 
conscience,  and  of  the  federal  government,  from  the  author's 
charge  of  atheism — A  vindication  of  the  treaty  with  Tripoli. 


I  N  page  23,  the  author  introduces  the  examples 
of  Asa,  Hezekiah,  Josiah,  Sec.  pious  kings  of  Judah, 
who  called  the  people  back  from  their  apostacy  from 
the  national  covenant  propounded  by  God,  whom  they 
had  agreed  to  obey  as  the  peculiar  king  of  their  nation, 
Mid  from  whom,  on  condition  of  their  obedience,  nume- 
rous temporal  blessings  were  promised;  and  as  a  pu- 
nishment for  disobedience,  temporal  curses,  equally 
numerous,  were  threatened. 

It  is  presumed  that  no  Christian  believes  that  eter- 
nal salvation  was  promised  in  the  Sinai  covenant;  or, 
in  other  words,  that  it  was  the  covenant  of  grace. 
The  Abrahamic  covenant  was,  indeed,  a  most  gracious 
manifestation  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  such  as  the 
apostle  testifies  that  the  Sinai  covenant  could  not  dis- 
annul. The  blessings  of  this  covenant  descend  to  all 
true  believers,  in  right  of  which  they  are  called  the 
children  of  Abraham.  The  Sinai  covenant,  as  has  been 


84  OBSERVATIONS  O* 

shewn  before,  was  symbolical  or  typical  of  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  through  which,  as  through  a  glass  darkly, 
true  believers  saw  Christ's  day  and  rejoiced.  The 
author,  however,  takes  no  notice  of  the  divine  antitype, 
who  fulfilled  every  law  that  man  had  broken,  and 
made  atonement  for  transgressions,  nor  of  the  spiri- 
tual kingdom  which  he  had  instituted,  and  of  which  he 
had  expressly  declared  that  it  was  not  of  this  world ; 
but  with  a  gigantic  stride  overleaps  the  examples  of 
the  church  of  God  for  a  thousand  years,  viz.  from  good 
Josiah,  king  of  Judah,  till  the  reign  of  Constantine. 

After,  from  the  example  of  those  pious  kings  who 
had  no  authority  to  make  laws  civil  or  ecclesiastic,  nor 
even  ever  attempted  to  do  it,  he  attempts  to  prove 
the  authority  of  kings  to  convoke  synods  and  councils, 
consisting  of  ecclesiastic  persons,  to  consult  how  the 
church  may  be  purged  from  corruption,  and  the  truths 
of  God  most  effectually  propagated,  he  says, 

"  Moreover,  the  four  ecumenical  councils  were 
called  by  Christian  magistrates.  Constantine  called  the 
first  Nicene  council :  Theodosius  the  elder,  the  first 
council  at  Constantinople :  Theodosius  the  younger, 
the  first  Ephesian  council :  Marcian  the  Chalcedon 
council." 

All  Christians  who  are  acquainted  with  the  history 
of  the  age  which  the  author  has  fixed  upon  as  the 
purest  period  of  the  Christian  church,  and  of  the  em- 
perors, who,  in  his  opinion,  copied  the  virtues  of  pious 
Asa,  Hezekiah,  8cc.  can  decide  on  the  correctness  of 
his  estimate.  To  such  as  are  not,  I  recommend  the 
perusal  of  the  histories  of  both  church  and  state  dur- 
ing the  fourth  and  fifth  centuries,  the  period  in  which 


T\VO    SON'S   OF    OIL.  8j 

athor's  standard  councils  were  held,  and  his  pious 
reigned. 

Tin-  church  of  Christ  had,  before  this  period,  fallen 
from  her  first  love,  and,  like  Israel  of  old,  played  the 
harlot;  the  shepherds  of  his  flock  had  usurped  a  lord- 
ship over  it;  but  in  his  standard  period,  the  fourth  cen- 
tury, they  had  transferred  that  lordship  to  the  king- 
doms of  this  world,  or  rather  parted  it  between  them, 
and  to  this  day  have  never  fully  agreed  what  share  of 
it  each  should  possess.  In  proof  of  this,  such  extracts 
from  national  and  church  history  might  be  given,  as 
v/ould  fill  a  volume ;  for  the  professed  kingdom  of 
Christ  having  become  a  kingdom  of  this  world,  the 
civil  history  of  every  nation,  where  Christianity  pre- 
vailed, is  also  a  history  of  the  church.  Gibbon's  His- 
of  the  decline  and  fall  of  the  Roman  Empire, 
which  is  in  many  hands,  is  full  on  that  subject;  he 
was  a  deist,  and  records  the  corruption  and  tyranny  of 
those  councils  and  emperors,  with  an  insidious  tri- 
umph, and  applies  it  to  destroy  the  credibility  of  the 
lian  religion,  not  considering  that  the  facts  which 
he  truly  records  of  the  corruption  of  the  church,  were 
at  the  same  time  testimonies  to  the  truth  of  prophecy. 

The  Abbe  Millet's  Elements  of  Universal  History, 
ample  testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  facts,  ac- 
companied with  judicious  observations.  He  was  a 
Catholic,  and  historiographer  to  a  Catholic  prince,  and 
rather  disposed  to  apologise  for,  than  to  expose  their 
corruption,  but  does  not  conceal  the  facts. 

The  History  of  the  Christian  Church,   by  that  re- 
verend and  learned  Lutheran  divine,  Mosheim,  is  full 
on  this  subject,  and  his  facts   are   carefully  selected 
from    the    best   authority ;    and    though   he  was  an 
II 


8»  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

Erastian,  viz.  believed  that  the  external  government 
of  the  church  ought  to  be  regulated  by  the  civil  ma- 
gistrate, yet  on  this  subject,  he  is  justly  esteemed  an 
impartial  historian.  This  valuable  work  is  in  many 
hands. 

Milnor's  church  history,  though  the  author,  being 
a  rector  of  the  English  church,  and  of  what  is  known 
there  by  the  name  of  the  high  church  party,  and  an 
avowed  advocate  of  the  union  of  church  and  state, 
and  of  the  persecution  resulting  from  that  union,  yet 
admits  the  facts,  and  particularly,  the  very  rapid  in- 
crease of  corruption,  after  the  council  of  Nice  ;  but 
attempts  accounting  for  it  from  other  causes.  From 
these  historians  I  intended  to  have  inserted  large  ex- 
tracts ;  but  when  I  had  them  prepared,  I  found  they 
would  swell  the  work  too  much.  I  will  chiefly  substi- 
tute extracts  from  the  History  of  the  Rise-)  Declension^ 
and  Revival  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  by  the  Rev. 
T.  Haweis,  Rector  of  All  Saints,  (who  was  of  the  law 
church  party)  for  those  I  had  prepared  from  Mosheim, 
Ike.  not  because  they  are  more  full  to  the  purpose,  but 
because  they  are  less  minute,  and  therefore  more 
concise.  For  the  truth  of  my  general  statements,  I 
appeal  to  all  the  before-mentioned  historians.  I  had 
proposed  extracts  from  Parker's  edition  of  Eusebeus, 
Theodorate,  8c«.  to  shew  the  ignorance  and  credulity 
of  that  age,  and  the  ridiculous  miracles  wrought  by 
unlearned  monks  and  hermits,  which  are  still  believed 
by  the  great  mass  of  the  catholic  church,  though 
treated  with  contempt  by  those  better  informed :  but 
I  found  they  also  would  swell  the  work  too  much. 
My  object  was,  to  bring  Christians  to  be  better  ac- 
quainted with  the  state  and  character  of  the  church  in 


THE  TWO   SONS  OP  OIL.  £7 

that  period,  held  up  by  the  church  of  Rome,  her  coun- 
cil of  Trent,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wylie,  as  the  standard 
of  perfection ;  and  taken  as  a  model  for  imitation,  in  a 
less  or  greater  degree,  by  all  the  advocates  ef  national 
political   churches,    and  of  persecution.    1   presume, 
pious   well-meaning  Christians,  when  they  know  the 
character  of  the  church  during  the  period  of  the  au- 
thor's standard  councils,  and  his  reputed  pious  empe- 
rors, they  will  not  choose  to  be  considered  as  in  com- 
munion  with   it,  especially  now,  when  the  terror  and 
1 1 incut  of  schism  are  no  more.  If,  however,  they 
do,  and  at  the  same  time  keep  separate  from  the  com- 
munion of  either  the  Presbyterian  or   Episcopal  pro- 
testant  churches,  now  in  being,  they   will  be  justly 
chargeable  with  straining  at  a  gnat,  and  swallowing  a 
camel,  at  a  bar  where  the  reverend  author  will  not  be 
admitted  as  their  advocate. 

Christians,  who  take  the  instructions  of  Christ  and 
his  apostles,  as  the  rule  for  the  edification  and  the  con- 
duct of  the  new  testament  church,  and  the  promises 
of  Christ  to  be  with  it  to  the  end  of  the  world,  for 
ilicir  assurance  of  its  support,  may  do  pretty  well,  with 
little  knowledge  of  church  history  :  but  such  as  con- 
sider, with  the  author,  (pages  24,  27.)  that  the  laws  of 
the  Most  High  God,  and  the  decrees  of  ecclesiastic 
courts,  stand  in  need  of  the  ratification  and  sanction  of 
the  civil  magistrate,  ought  to  be  well  acquainted  with 
church  history,  that  they  may  avoid  former  mistakes. 
They  having  taken  the  government  which  God  laid 
on  Christ's  shoulders,  (Isa.  ix.  6.)  and  laid  it  on  their 
own,  have  subjected  themselves  to  a  very  high  respon- 
sibility. 


t3  «BSERVATIOXS  ON 

To  understand  the  state  of  the  church  in  the  fourth 
and  fifth  centuries,  which  include  the  author's  standard 
period,  it  is  necessary  to  have  some  knowledge  of  the 
third  century.  Without  this,  we  lay  the  saddle  on  the 
wrong  horse,  and  set  the  errors  of  bishops  to  the  ac- 
count of  kings. 

Even  in  the  second  century,  the  presbyters,  or 
bishops  of  large  cities,  assumed  a  pre-eminence,  and 
seem  to  have  distinguished  the  character  of  a  bishop 
from  that  of  a  presbyter,  and  instituted  councils  with 
law-making  power.  In  the  third  century,  however, 
episcopacy  was  more  exalted,  and  councils  of  the 
clergy  assumed  a  higher  legislative  authority.  "  One 
bishop  also  had  great  pre-eminence  over  his  fellows ; 
summoned  councils  ;  presided  at  their  deliberations, 
and  usually  swayed  their  opinions ;  such  was  Cyprian 
in  Africa.  Rome,  Antioch,  Alexandria,  claimed  a  sort 
of  pre-eminence  for  their  antiquity,  and  on  difficult 
matters  were  consulted :  though  the  bounds  of  metro- 
politan, or  episcopal  authority  fluctuated,  according  to 
the  ability,  reputation  or  ambition  of  the  person  who 
filled  the  see.  The  bishop  of  the  great  metropolis  be- 
gan to  claim,  and  was  generally  now  admitted  to  hold 
a  certain  priority  of  dignity  above  his  fellows  ;  for  equa- 
lity respecting  order  and  office  was  yet  jealously 
maintained  by  the  episcopal  band:  And  therefore, 
when  Stephen,  bishop  of  Rome,  issued  his  mandate, 
respecting  the  baptism  of  heretics,  Cyprian  rebuked 
his  insolence,  with  equal  indignation  and  contempt ; 
but  whilst  the  bishops  watched  with  jealousy  the  am- 
bitious encroachments  of  their  companions  in  office, 
each  endeavoured  to  extend  his  claims  successfully  in 
his  own  church  ;  and  was  supported  by  the  spirit  of 


THE  TWO   SONS  OF  OIL  %9 

the  corps  in  his  pretensions.  They  assumed  every  day 
more  of  absolute  rule  in  their  own  sees,  trenching  upon 
the  rights  of  the  presbyters,  and  excluding  the  inter- 
ference of  the  faithful  These  were  now  taught  im- 
plicit obedience,  and  heard  the  constant  warnings  of 
the  deadly  crime  of  resisting  episcopal  authority, 
seated  upon  the  throne  of  God,  and  claiming  divine 
right  and  submission.  The  evils  necessarily  resulting 
from  such  a  spirit,  and  such  abuses,  must  be  incalcu- 
lable ;  and  appeared  in  the  pride,  pomp,  luxury  and 
carnality  of  many  of  these  prclatical  dignitaries.  The 
other  orders  endeavoured  to  imitate  them  in  lording 
it  over  their  inferiors  ;  and  claiming  their  superior 
honors  of  sacerdotal  reverence.  Even  the  deacons 
usurped  many  of  the  presbyters'  offices,  and,  in  the 
useless  and  multiplied  rites  and  ceremonies  instituted 
in  the  church,  appointed  beneath  them  a  herd  of  in- 
ferior orders,  sub-deacons,  acolothists,  door-keepers, 
readers,  exorcists,  and  buricrs  of  the  dead,  all  which 
strengthened  the  clerical  army  with  their  subordinate 
functions  ;  and  were  supposed  to  share  a  minor  por- 
tion of  their  sanctity."  Hawcis,  vol.  I.  p.  223,  224. 
Am.  Edit. 

The  historian  further  informs  us,  that  marriage, 
though  not  prohibited  to  the  clergy,  was  discouraged ; 
that  celibacy  continued  to  acquire  a  great  degree 
of  reputation  ;  and  that  monkery  extended  its  roots 
and  peopled  the  deserts,  far  from  the  haunts  of  men. 
That  the  sacraments,  instead  of  being  considered  as 
memorials,  or  outward  signs  of  inward  grace,  had  ac- 
quired a  superstitious  reverence  for  the  signs  them- 
selves, and  were  thought  indispensably  necessary  to 
salvation  ;  and  that  the  supper  was  administered  even 
H  2 


9O  OBSERVATIO.VS  OK 

to  infants.  A  warfare  was  carried  on  to  a  scandalous 
height,  by  bishops  and  councils,  about  trifles.  The 
question,  whether  or  not  infants  should  be  baptized 
on  the  eighth  day,  as  circumcision  had  been  directed, 
occupied  the  wisdom  of  the  great  saint,  and  afterwards 
martyr,  Cyprian,  and  a  council  of  sixty  six  bishops  ; 
and  for  his  supposed  unscriptural  decision,  he  was  so- 
lemnly excommunicated  by  the  bishop  of  Rome,  whom 
he  did  not  acknowledge  as  his  superior.  The  above, 
and  other  like  instances,  demonstrated  the  propriety 
of  one  visible  head  or  judge  of  truth  on  earth,  to  settle 
the  disputes  of  the  four  metropolitan  bishops,  who 
were  each  of  them  heads  of  the  church  of  Christ  in 
different  provinces  of  the  empire,  in  right  of  being 
the  vicegerents  or  representatives  of  Christ — a  doc- 
trine early  advanced,  and  which  was  a  lasting  curse 
to  the  church. 

While  the  preachers  had  given  up  the  simplicity 
of  the  gospel,  and  substituted  the  Grecian  eloquence, 
full  of  tropes,  figures  and  allegory,  taken  from  the 
philosophical  school  of  Plato,  in  their  sermons  ;  burn- 
ing incense  on  the  altar  was  introduced  from  the  law 
of  Moses,  as  the  different  grades  of  the  priesthood  had 
been  before.  "  The  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
was  celebrated  with  greater  pomp  and  solemnity.  Gold 
and  silver  vessels  were  used  in  the  service,  with  gar- 
ments for  beauty  tncl  glory ;  supposing  these  would 
command  greater  reverence  and  respect  for  the  sacred 
mysteries.  They  began,  also  to  speak  of  the  elements 
after  consecration,  in.  a  language  which  laid  the  foun- 
dation for  the  gross  and  impious  doctrine  of  transub- 
stantiation,  ajid  by  degrees  proceeded,  though  after  a 
course  qf  agos?  from,  veneration  to  adoration,  and  from 


THE   TWO  SONS  OF  Oil.  </] 

mystical  flights,  to  suggest  a  real  body  of  Ci 
in  the  eudiarist. 

Before    admission     to   ba/ilism,  the  exorcist   with 
frightful  menaces  and  formidable  shouts,  pretended  to 
expel  the  prince  of  darkness  from  the  candidate.  The 
remission  of  sins   was  thought  to  be  the  immediate  ef- 
fect of  baptism,  rightly  administered  by  the  bishop  or 
his  delegate.  By  his  subsequent  prayer  and  imposition 
of  hands   (for  his  presence  on  those  occasions  was  al- 
uecessary)  the  Holy  Ghost  was  supposed  to  be 
baptismal  solemnities  were  reserved  for 
the    great  festival  of  Easter,  and  the  forty  days  suc- 
ceeding. A  solemn  parade  and  procession  of  the  ex- 
orcised and  baptised,  in  white   garments  and  crowns, 
in  token  of  their  victory  over  the  devil,  closed  the  au- 
gust ceremonial.   Every  step  we  advance,  betrays  the 
ing  declension,  and  the  loss  of  true  Christianity, 
in  forms  and  ceremonies,  and  the  tricks  of  jugglers  to 
importance     to    a     new-invented    priesthood." 
.-.cis,  vol.  I.  p.  1226.  Am.  Edit. 

In  short,  fastings,   the  doctrine   of  demons,  exor- 
:,  bodily  macerations,  hungry  bellies  to  starve  out 
the  devi1,   Sec.   were   introduced.    In  this  country,  ihe 
sign  of  the  cross  was  supposed  to  administer  victorious 
power  over  all  sorts  of  trials.  No  Christian  undertook 
Jiing  of  importance,  without  arming  himself  with 
•uce  of  this  triumphant  sign.  The  doctrine  of 
the  purging  fire  was  also  introduced,  which,  as  after- 
1  up  in  the  form  of  purgatory,  became  a 
great   source  of  profit   to   the  clergy.    Though  for  a 
!i  to  marry  was  not  yet  forbidden,  it  was  es- 
.fd  unholy;  'yet  many  of  the  clergy  kept  concu- 
bines. The  keeping  of  lent  was  introduced,  and  other 


$2  OBSERVATIONS   O'N         4 

fasts  and  festivals  were  multiplied.  A  superstitious  re- 
verence for  the  memories  and  tombs  of  the  martyrs, 
approaching  to  idolatry,  and  also  of  the  relics,  viz.  the 
bones  of  saints,  and  dust  of  places  reputedly  holy,  was 
in  high  repute. 

I  have  preferred  giving  a  sketch  of  the  history  of 
the  church  during  the  third  century ;  because,  in  the 
second  century,  superstition  was  but  gradually  com- 
mencing ;  and  in  the  fourth  and  fifth,  which  includes 
the  author's  standard  period  of  pure  Christianity,  and 
from  thence  to  the  council  of  Trent,  the  change  was 
only  progressive  and  circumstantial,  and  depended  on 
the  same  principles  adopted  in  the  third  and  fourth, 
viz.  human  invention  and  human  tradition.  The  long 
peace  and  prosperity,  enjoyed  in  the  third  century,  was 
misimproved,  so  as  to  promote  pride,  ambition,  and 
superstition,  The  ten  years  most  cruel  persecution, 
under  Dioclesian,  and  two  of  his  three  associates  in  the 
empire,  increased  the  number  of  real  martyrs  and  con- 
fessors, and  made  very  numerous  apostates ;  but  does 
not  appear  to  have  put  a  stop  to  the  increasing  super- 
stition, or  the  ambition  of  the  bishops. 

On  the  decease  of  Constantius  Chlorus,  who  go- 
verned the  empire  in  the  west,  viz.  Britain,  Spain  and 
Gaul,  (France)  and  who,  in  protecting  all  men  in  the 
enjoyment  of  their  natural  rights,  protected  the  Chris- 
tians, while  they  were  cruelly  pei'secuted  through  all 
other  parts  of  that  widely  extended  empire  ; — the 
Christians,  then  very  numerous,  naturally  attached 
themselves  to  Constantine  his  son,  who,  with  their  as- 
sistance, in  the  hand  of  Providence,  became  sole  em- 
peror. He  put  the  sign  of  the  cross,  which  the  chris- 
tians  had  already  been  in  the  habit  of  using  as  a  charm, 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF   OIL. 

in  his  military  colours  (laborum)  ;  and  after  defeating 
the  imperial  tyrant  Maxentius,  and  taking  possession 
of  Rome,  he  put  a  stop  to  the  persecution  of  Christians, 
and  accepted,  of  the  office  of  high-priest  or  head  of  Un- 
church, as  other  emperors  had  done  of  that  of  Jupiter  . 
and  protected  all  who  lived  peaceably.  The  chrUtians 
having  faithfully  and  successfully  supported  him  in  his 
wars,  he  paid  great  attention  to  their  bishops,  whom  he 
enriched  by  his  bounty,  and  bestowed  on  them,  for  a 
church,  one  of  the  heathen  temples  in  Rome  ;  and  they 
recompensed  him  with  the  seductive  incense  of  flat 
and  promises  of  support,  which  it  was  evidently  their 
interest  to  perform. 

They  having,  before  the  Dioclesian  persecution,  (to 
use  the  words  of  Mosheim)  "  assumed,  in  many  places, 
a  princely  authority ;  and  having  appropriated  to  their 
evangelical  function,  the  splendid  ensigns  of  temporal 
majesty  ;— < a   throne    surrounded   with   ministers,  ex- 
alted above  their  equals,  the  servants  of  the  meek  and 
humble  Jesus  ;  and  sumptuous  garments  ;  dazzled  the 
aid  the  minds  of  the  multitude,  into  an  ignorant 
\ition  for  their  arrogated  authority." 

Men  of  such  influence,  and  held  in  such  veneration, 
well  worth  being  courted  and  purchased  too,  by 
a  man  of  the  discernment  and  unbounded  ambition  of 
Constantino. 

That  the  subject  may  be  the  better  understood,  it  is 
proper  to  mention,  that  when  Constantine  subdued  the 
tyrant  Maxentius,  (who  was  loved  by  none  but  his  praj- 
torian  guards,  who  enjoyed  his  bounty)  and  got  pos- 
session of  the  capital  of  the  Roman  world,  and  of  the 
empire  of  the  west ;  two  emperors  still  remained  on 
the  plan  of  Dioclesian,  for  governing  that  extensive 


•94  CBSERVATldNS  ON 

empire.  Maximian,  who  reigned  in  Asia,  was  the  only 
survivor  of  those  who  had  been  appointed  to  the  go- 
vernment of  the  empire  by  Dioclesian,  with  equal  au- 
thority as  himself.  That  unwieldy  empire,  being  at- 
tacked and  pressed  on  all  sides,  Dioclesian  added  two 
Caesars,  clothed  with  imperial  authority  in  the  dis- 
tricts assigned  to  them,  and  having  the  right  of  suc- 
cession to  the  empire  and  title  of  Augustus.  The  title 
of  Csesar  was  bestowed  on  Constantius  Chlorus  and 
Galerius.  Chlorus,  the  father  of  Coristantine,  and  the 
best  of  these  appointments,  had  Britain,  Spain,  and 
Gaul  allotted  to  his  government ;  the  second  had  Ma- 
cedonia, Greece,  &c.  Maximian,  as  emperor,  governed 
the  west,  and  Dioclesian  the  east,  a  division,  that  af- 
terwards proved  fatal  to  the  empire.  Dioclesian  was 
one  of  the  best  and  mo&t  moderate  of  the  Roman  em- 
perors ;  but  after  he  had  reigned  eighteen  years  suc- 
cessfully, he,  through  the  influence  and  intrigues  of 
Galerius,  the  Caesar  in  most  immediate  connection 
with  him,  and  of  the  pagan  priests,  whose  altars  had 
been  forsaken  through  the  prevalence  of  Christianity, 
reluctantly  issued  a  very  severe  edict  for  persecuting 
the  Christians.  In  two  years  after  this  wicked  edict, 
he  became  so  disgusted  with  the  empty  grandeur  and 
excessive  cares  of  empire,  that  he  abdicated  the  sove- 
reignty, and  retired  to  a  private  life,  from  which  he 
afterwards,  when  earnestly  solicited,  refused  to  re- 
turn to  empire.  "  If  you  did  but  see  (replied  he  to 
those  who  solicited  him)  the  pulse  which  I  raise  with 
my  own  hands,  you  would  never  speak  to  me  of  the 
empire"  Galerius  and  his  colleagues,  except  Chlorus, 
carried  on  the  persecution  with  unrelenting  severity 
for  about  eight  years  afterwards,  when  Galeriuc 


1HE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  95 

died  (christian  writers  say)  miserably.  He,  however, 
repealed  his  persecuting  edict  at  the  approach  of  death. 

Dioclesian  and  the  elder  Maximian,  both  having  re- 
signed, (the  last  with  reluctance  ;)  he  was  afterwards 
(perhaps  deservedly)  killed  by  his  son-in-law,  Con- 
stantine,  for  the  security  of  his  own  life.  The  two 
Caesars  assumed  the  title  of  Augustus, — governed  the 
empire, — and,  to  assist  them,  appointed  two  Caesars, 
viz.  subordinate  emperors.  One  of  these  was  Sicinius, 
v.  ho  married  Constantine's  sister.  He  was  made  Caesar 
by  Galorius.  Maxantius,  the  son  of  Maximian,  and 
brother-in-law  of  Constantine,  was  then  emperor  of  the 
west.  lie  hated  and  persecuted  the  Christians,  but 
^Yas  overthrown  and  slain  by  Constantine,  as  has  been 
mentioned.  The  remaining  Maximian  governed  the 
Asiatic  portion  of  the  empire ; — Sicinius  governed 
Greece,  8cc.  viz.  the  eastern  part  of  Europe.  Maxi- 
mian, being  the  only  survivor  of  Dioclesian's  appoint- 
ments, prepared  to  subdue  both  Sicinius  and  Con- 
stantine. The  former  had,  equally  with  Constantine, 
given  peace  and  protection  to  the  Christians  ;  he,  with 
a  very  inferior  force,  met  with,  fought  and  subdued 
Maximian,  who  poisoned  himself.  Christian  writers, 
of  that  age,  inform  us  that  Sicinius  was  warned  of 
God,  in  a  dream,  to  risk  the  battle,  and  assured  of 
succ* 

Thus  the  Roman  world  came  to  be  governed  by 
two  brothers  in  law.  Their  ambition  could  not  brook 
having  cither  superior  or  equal.  They  soon  quarrel- 
ed. Constantine,  with  his  hardy  northern  troops,  de- 
feated Sicinius,  at  the  head  of  his  effeminate  associates. 
Sicinius,  with  the  sacrifice  of  the  best  portion  of  that 
part  of  the  empire  which  he  governed,  obtained  p- 


9&  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

Constantine,  whose  ambition  was  unboundejd,  made 
his  three  sons,  two  of  them  infants,  Csesars.  The  two 
brothers,  both  in  blood  and  empire,  did  not  long  agree. 
Constantine  had  the  greatest  power  and  resources, 
and,  from  circumstances  and  by  address,  he  had  won 
the  hearts  of  the  Christians,  then  a  very  powerful  body. 
Probably  on  this  account  Sicinius  commenced  a  per- 
secution against  them.  They  met  in  battle  ;  Constan- 
tine, with  superior  force,  both  by  land  and  sea,  de- 
feated Sicinius,  committed  him  prisoner,  with  a  pro- 
mise of  life ;  but  he  was  soon  after  strangled  in  the 
prison.  In  a  short  time  after  he  put  to  death  his  own 
son  Crispen,  whom  he  had  created  Caesar,  and  who 
was  generally  beloved ;  and  the  son  of  Sicinius,  but 
twelve  years  old ;  arid  afterwards  his  own  wife,  and 
many  of  the  nobles,  without  a  public  trial ;  which  we, 
in  this  country,  would  call  murder,  and  for  which, 
even  his  flatterers  have  never  yet,  from  authentic  do- 
cuments, assigned  a  sufficient  cause ;  but  for  which, 
he  was  in  Rome  spoken  of  as  a  second  Nero.  He  left 
that  metropolis  in  disgust,  and  erected  a  new  one, 
which  he  called  Constantinople,  in  a  well  chosen  situa- 
tion, to  build  and  aggrandize  which,  he  miserably  op- 
pressed the  empire. 

He  had,  as  has  been  mentioned,  from  the  first, 
favoured  and  enriched  the  Christian  bishops,  who, 
even  before  he  came  to  the  empire,  sat  on  princely 
thrones,  to  which  »ome  of  them  waded  through  blood. 
This  was  afterwards  the  case  with  Damasius,  bishop 
of  Rome,  to  whose  infallible  tradition  Theodosius 
commanded  implicit  obedience  to  be  paid,  on  the 
pain  of  death. 

Some  commentators  have  considered  the  silence  in 


t'HE   TWe   SON*  OF   «IL  9? 


heaven  (viz.  the  church)  for  the  */iace  of  half  an 
Rev.  viii.  1.  to  be  applicable  to  the  reign  of  C'onstun- 
tine.  It  may  have  been  so;  but  could  only  have  been 
so  in  the  first  twelve  years  of  his  reign,  during  which 
he  put  a  stop  to  persecution,  n  .  i  al  good  and 

humane  laws,  and  protected  all  in  their  natural  rights. 
It  is  admitted  by  the  best  interpreters,  that  it  could 
not  apply  to  any  other  period  of  his  reign.  It  was  not 
afterwards  silence,  bi:  the  chur; 

It  is  generally  admitted,  that  great  courtiers,  such 
as  Eusebius  then,  and  I^aud  afterwards  were,  arc  never 
*  ministers  of  the  gospel.  With  such  self-seekers 
and  flatterers,  Constantine  was  surrounded.  He  not 
only  enriched  them  by  his  bounty,  but  unfortunately- 
engaged  in  their  controversies.  The  same,  or  similar 
principles,  to  what  Arius  taught,  had  been  taught 
long  before,  and  refuted  by  the  force  of  truth,  ad- 
dressed to  the  reason  and  judgment  of  men.  Constan- 
tine, who  had  never  studied  divinity,  nor  had  received 
baptism,  by  his  letters  and  advice  endeavoured  to 
sctti<  m  controversy  :  this  not  succeeding,  he 

by  his  imperial  authority,  convened  the  well  known 
council  of  Nice,  in  which,  if  not  formally,  he  actually 
presided.  That  council,  after  much  debate,  rejected  the 
doctrine  of  Arius,  for  doing  which  they  had  sufficient 
authority  from  scripture,  if  they  consulted  it.  They 
also  decided  the  question  on  what  day  the  festival  of 
Easter  should  be  held,  and  the  Melitian  controversy 
about  the  right  of  ordination,  then  lately  claimed  by 
the  metropolitan  bishops,  and  the  rank  of  these  bi- 
shops, and  the  limits  of  their  respective  jurisdictions: 
but  so  far  was  their  decision  from  settling  any  of  these 
controversies,  that  it  seemed  to  give  them  new  life 

J 


$8  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

and  activity.  The  time  of  keeping  Easter  is  yet  unset- 
tled. The  Arian  heresy,  then  condemned,  in  a  few  years 
after,  was  restored  through  the  influence  of  the  terrors 
and  rewards  of  the  emperor,  who,  by  the  council  of 
Nice,  was  made  the  head  of  Christ's  church,  which  then 
became  a  kingdom  of  this  world,  and  for  which  event 
it  had  been  prepared  by  such  carnal  bishops,  as  the 
apostle  Paul  foretold  would  arise  in  the  church,  in  his 
farewell  address  to  the  elders  of  the  church  at  Ephesus. 
Here,  at,  least  in  rny  opinion,  the  man  of  sin  wra* 
openly  revealed,  who,  even  in  the  time  of  the  apostle 
Paul,  did  already  work^  but  who  was  to  be  openly  re- 
vealed in  his  appointed  time.  They  that  letted  or  jire- 
-vented  it,  in  the  apostles'  day,  viz.  the  heathen  empe- 
rors, were  then  taken  out  of  the  way,  which  gave  a  fair 
opportunity  for  the  usurper  of  Christ's  kingdom,  viz. 
the  man  of  sin,  to  be  revealed.  Constantino  com- 
menced, and  Theodosius  completed  his  inauguration. 
Protestant  commentators  have  perplexed  them- 
selves in  endeavouring  to  ascertain  the  beginning  and 
ending  of  the  days  mentioned  by  the  prophet  Daniel, 
and  the  corresponding  times  in  the  apocalypse.  With 
those  I  have  nothing  to  do  on  this  question.  Probably 
they  will  never  be  perfectly  known  till  the  prophecy  is 
accomplished ;  but  the  early  degeneracy  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  is  well  known.  It  already  wrought  in  the 
days  of  the  apostles,  and  was  rapidly  progressive 
after  the  apostles  were  dead,  and  redoubled  its  pro- 
gress after  the  conducting  of  it  was,  by  bishops,  trans- 
ferred to  a  fortunate  and  unprincipled  adventurer,  like 
the  Napoleon  of  the  present  age.  Unfortunately,  he 
had  not  ballast  to  bear,  nor  prudence  to  guide,  such  a 
degree  of  elevation,  as  never  any  man  before- him  en- 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF   OIL.  99 

joyed ;  not  only  the  civil  government  of  the  Roman 
world,  but  also  the  government  of  Christ's  spiritual 
kingdom. 

He  did  not  claim  divine  inspiration  to  himself,  as 
Theodosius  afterwards  did;  but  in  his  circular  letters, 
enforcing  the  decrees  of  the  council  of  Nice,  he  con- 
sidered them  as  divinely  inspired.  lie  banished  Arius, 
and  decreed  the  penalty  of  death  against  those  who 
would  even  read  his  books.  In  a  few  years  after,  he 
bcciu  :.cecl  in  his  own  opinion,  that  the  decision 

of  ih  -  wrong ;  he  recalled  Arius, 

replaced  the  Afian  bishops  whom  he  had  banished, 
and  commanded  Athanasius  to  receive  them  into  com- 
munion :  but  that  veteran  confessor  refused,  and  Con- 
stantine  convened  a  council  at  Tyre,  who,  as  most 
other  councils  did,  obeyed  their  master's  will,  and  ba- 
nished Athanasius.  Constantine,  after  this,  threw  the 
'.it  of  his  influence  against  the  Nicenes,  and  at 
the  approach  of  death  was  baptized  by  an  Arian  bi- 
shop, and  left  his  will  in  the  hands  of  an  Arian  priest, 
before  !  the  name  priest  had  been  sub- 

stituted for  minister,  lie  distributed  the  empire  to  his 
three  sons  :  the  eldest  and  favourite  son,  Constantius, 
left  in  possession  of  the  imperial  city,  Constanti- 
nople, and  of  the  east ;  his  two  brothers,  Constans  and 
Constantine,  had  the  empire  of  the  west  divided  be- 
tween them  ;  and  two  of  Constantino's  brothers  hud 
ample  estates  allotted  to  them  in  the  east.  These 
in  dispatched  to  the  other  world,  except  two 
children  ;  one  of  which  was  put  to  death  for  his  crimes 
by  Constantius,  through  vi.  MS  their  father  had 

been  murdered.  The  other,  Julien,  calk  . 
came  to  the  empire  on  the  d-eath  of  Constantius.  lie, 


106  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

after  a  short  reign,  was  killed  in  the  Persian  "war,  and 
the  house  of  Chlorus  became  extinct.  I  never  read  the 
history  of  that  good  man,  Chlorus,  and  his  numerous 
and  promising  family,  extinguished  by  the  hands  or 
commands  of  those  who  ought  to  have  been  their  pro- 
tectors, without  a  tear  of  sympathy  and  regret. 

Conatantius,  left  by  his  father  in  an  Arian  court, 
by  numerous  councils  established  Arianism,  and  not 
protected,  but  promoted  it,  by  all  the  powers  of 
the  secular  arm.  The  distress  and  destruction  which 
took  place  on  this  occasion,  I  would  rather  weep  over 
than  relate.  It  was  the  first  instance  of  professed  Chris- 
tians so  profusely  shedding  the  blood  of  their  fellow 
Christians  for  difference  of  opinion ;  but,  alas !  it  was 
far  from  being  the  last.  Constantine  had  commenced 
the  practice — Mr.  Wylie,  himself,  advocates  the  bloody 
anti-christian  cause,  which?  happily  for  mankind,  he 
has  not  the  power  of  carrying  into  effect. 

The  two  brothers  of  Constantius,  between  whom 
the  empire  of  the  west  was  divided,  were  discontented 
with  their  shares,  and  quarrelled  about  the  division. 
They  protected  and  encouraged  the  Nicene  faith,  which 
their  brother  Constantius  persecuted.  They  soon  fell 
by  the  hands  of  assassins-,  and  Constantius  became 
possessed  of  the  empire  of  the  Roman  world,  as  his 
father  Constantine  had  been,  but  governed  it  with 
still  less  wisdom.  He  died  of  a  fever,  on  his  way  going 
to  fight  with  his  cousin  Julien,  who  was,  as  I  have 
said  before,  killed  soon  after  in  the  Persian  war. 

I  will  pass  over  the  short  reign  of  Javian,  and  the 
longer  reigns  of  the  two  brothers,  Valentine  and  Va- 
lens,  who  divided  the  Roman  empire  between  them. 
Valentine  not  only  protected  the  Nicenes,  but  all  who 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  101 

lived  peaceably.  Valens  supported  the  Arians,  and 
persecuted  all  who  differed  from  them.  I  will  pass 
over  the  other  emperors,  who  governed  the  Roman 
world  and  the  Christian  church,  then  become  a  king* 
dom  of  this  world,  till  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Thc- 
odosius  the  Great,  who  was  called  to  the  throne,  and 
to  take  part  in  the  government.  He  was  the  first  bap- 
tised emperor  who  ever  sat  on  the  imperial  throne. 
A  tit  of  sickness,  which  threatened  to  be  fatal,  induced 
him  to  go  to  the  baptismal  font  ;  in  coming  from 

!i,  he,  unacquainted  with  the  principles  of  the 
Christian  religion,  brlicved  he  was  divinely  inspired, 
and  issued  the  following  decree,  over  which  the  Chris- 
tian has  often  weeped,  and  the  infidel,  not  without 
reason,  triumphed. 

••  It  is  our  pleasure,  that  the  nations  which  are  go- 
verned by  our  clemency  and  moderation,  should  sted- 
fustly  adhere  to  the  religion  which  was  taught  by  St. 
Peter  and  St.  Paul  to  the  Romans  ;  which  faithful  tra- 
dition has  been  preserved,  and  which  is  now  possessed 
by  the  pontiff  Damasius,  (of  Rome)  and  by  Peter, 

p  of  Alexandria,  men  of  apostolical  holiness. 
According  to  the  discipline  of  the  apostles,  and  doc- 
trine of  the  gospel,  let  us  believe  the  sole  deity  of  the 
Father,  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  under  an  equal 
magistracy,  and  a  pious  trinity.  We  authorise  the  fol- 
lowers of  this  doctrine  to  asbume  the  title  of  Catholic 

lians  ;  and  as  we  ju'.ige  that  all  others  are  extra- 
vagant madmen,  we  brand  them  with  the  infamous 
name  of  Heroic*,  and  declare  th«*-*-  *****  J""LICC> 
"c  to  suffer  the  severest  penalties, 


I  2 


102  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

which  our  'authority,  guided  by  heavenly  wisdom,  shall 
think  proper  to  inflict." 

Agreeably  to  the  above  imperial  decree,  he  drove 
out  the  Arian  bishops  of  Constantinople,  who  refused 
to  embrace  his  creed ;  occupied  the  church  with  a 
military  guard ;  and  conducted  Gregory  Nazianzan, 
who  had  before  kept  an  orthodox  conventicle,  to  the 
church,  with  solemn  military  triumph,  and  placed  him, 
with  his  own  hand,  on  the  arch-episcopal  throne.  The 
good  bishop,  however,  was  deeply  affected  by  the  con- 
sideration, that  he  entered  the  fold  rather  like  a  wolf 
than  a  shepherd ;  and  that,  while  the  glittering  arms 
were  around  him,  necessary  for  his  protection,  he  was 
receiving  the  curses  of  the  people,  and  not  their 
blessing.  He  did  not,  however,  enjoy  it  long.  A  coun- 
cil of  the  clergy  thought  that  the  throne  of  the  capital 
episcopate  should  be  occupied  by  one  of  noble  birth, 
and  not  by  the  son  of  a  poor  bishop.  He  withdrew 
from  it  to  retirement,  and  they  elected  a  nobleman, 
who  consented  to  be  baptised  and  consecrated.  Nazi- 
anzan was  one  of  the  few  of  that  age,  whose  writings 
are  stili  in  esteem.  In  six  weeks  after  the  military  in- 
stalment of  Gregory,  which  he  himself  records,  the 
city  had  the  appearance  of  one  taken  by  the  arms  of  a 
barbarian  conqueror.  Theodosius  expelled  from  all 
the  churches  of  his  dominions,  such  as  refused  to  pro- 
fess their  belief  in  his  own  faith. 

This  violent  and  tyrannical  prince  did  not  embrue 
his  hands  in  kindred  blood  as  Constantine  had  clone  ; 
but  he  far  exceeded  him  in  persecution.  He  made  it 
pains  ana  pcuamv*  ^^Jin.ibe.  slightest  degree,  from 


THE  TWO   SONS  OF   OIL.  103 

lesson,  taught  him  by  Libenius,  the  heathen  philoso- 
pher, "  Thiit  religion  ought  to  be  filanted  in  merit 
mind  it-ruction,  and  not  by  force  "  had 

no  effect.  Constantino  introduced  this  system  of  ty- 
ranny ;  but  it  was  Theodosius  who  completed  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  bloody  idol  of  uniformity  in  religion 
by  human  authority,  at  whose  shrine  more  human  sa- 
crifices have  been  made,  than  ever  were  offered  on 
the  polluted  altars  of  Moloch.  It  was  this  prince. who 
dignified  the  Christian  church,  as  founded  on  the 
council  of  Nice,  and  the  infallible  traditions,  prt  s 
and  possessed  by  the  metropolitan  bishops  of  Rome 
and  Alexandria,  with  the  honourable  title  of  Catholic, 
which  it  still  retains ;  and  degraded  those  who  did  not 
agree  with  him  in  receiving  those  traditions,  and  rest- 
ing their  faith  on  the  authority  of  the  council  of  Nice, 
or,  to  use  his  own  words,  branded  them  with  the  op- 
probrious name  of  extravagant  madmen  and  , 
a  character  severely  known  since  that  day.  Vigilentius, 
and  many  of  that  age,  who  had  the  sense  and  courage 
to  lift  up  their  voice  against  the  prevailing  superstition, 
ami  to  call  the  people  back  to  the  scriptures,  were 
branded  and  punished  under  that  character.  Very 
inerous  sacrifices.  lol,  were  made  of  the  Wal- 

v  s,  the  cli  i  Wickliffe,  Sec.  John  Huss  and 

Jerome  of  Prague,  by  the  sentence  of  the  ecumenical 
council  of  Constantinc,  (which  had  certainly  equal  au- 
y  with  the  council  of  Nice,  both  having  the  au- 
thority and  presence  of  the   emperors,)   expiated   the 
crime  of  heresy  in  the  flames.  The  arch  heretics 
extravagant  madmen,  Luther,  Calvin,  Knox,  £cc. 
rowly  escaped  that  fate;   but  many  of  their  folio 

-n*  «r>  fortunate.  The  law.s  of  Theodosius  were 


104  OBSERVATIONS  ®N 

executed  to  effect  by  the  massacre  of  Paris,  and  the 
flames  kindled  in  Smithfield  by  Mary,  queen  of  En- 
gland, in  which  the  bishops,  Cranmer,  Latimer,  Ridley, 
Hooper,  and  many  others,  were  consumed,  for  disobey- 
ing his  imperial  decree. 

Theodosius,  agreeable  to  this  law,  if  it  could  have 
been  executed,  subjected  myself,  and  all  denominations 
of  protestants  with  which  I  am  acquainted,  except  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Wylie,  and  such  as  adhere  to  his  opinions, 
to  have  been  burned  or  hanged  as  heretics,  long  be- 
fore this  time.  Many  a  joyful  festivity  has  been  held  in 
Spain,  at  the  burning  of  heretics  in  groupes  (auto  defe.) 
It  was,  by  some  of  their  kings,  considered  and  prac- 
tised, as  the  most  acceptable  thanksgiving  to  God,  for 
victory  in  v/ar.  Unfortunately,  when  the  blessed  re- 
formation took  place,  and  the  reformers  protested 
against  the  religion  and  uniformity  established  by 
Theodosius,  the  great,  they  did  not  wholly  divest 
themselves  of  the  principle.  If  they  did  not  kindle  the 
flames,  they  made  a  pretty  free  use  of  the  gallows  and 
lesser  punishments,  against  such  as  would  not  wor- 
ship the  idol  Uniformity,  which  Constantine  had  set 
up,  and  the  worship  of  which,  Theodosius  completely 
established ;  and  which  has  continued,  hitherto,  un- 
changed in  the  catholic  church. 

To  find  the  true  church  of  Christ,  after  the  catholic 
church  became  degenerated — the  hierarchy  exalted — 
and  superstition  greatly  increased — I  recommend  the 
reader  to  the  perusal  of  Haweis,  first  chapter  in  each 
century,  on  The  true  spiritual  church  of  Christ.  Even 
in  the  third  century,  it  will  rarely  be  found  among  the 
high  dignitaries  ;  but  among  those  of  low  degree,  and 
such  as  were  declared  &rH;«—  --'- 


THE   TWO   SONS  OF   OIL.  105 


in  some  decisions  oi'  the  metropolitan  bishops 
councils,  and  some  questions  -about  ordination  and  dis- 
cipline. The  number  of  these  increased  after  the  coun- 
cil of  N'icr,  when  .  ,  :>.n  they  were  b^h 

from  the  empire,  or  suiu  .  «  t  oppression  in  it. 

'It  was  some  of  those  t  d  the  gospel,  with  the 

bible  in  their  hands,  but  without  the  support  of  wealth, 
or  the  sword  of  the  civil  magistrate,  into  Persia,  Tar- 

China  and  India. 

They  were  not  clear  of  superstition  or  mistakes; 
but  they  did  not  enjoy  wealth  as  the  means  of  corrup- 
tion, and  led  lives  agreeable  to  the  gospel  ;  and  ' 
*ere  still  some  in  the  catholic  church,  who  plead  with 
their  mother,  but  their  voice  was  not  heard.  In  every 
instance,  in  which  human  uniformity  has  been  enforced 
by  the  sword  of  the  civil  magistrate,  many  of  the  ser- 
yants  of  Christ  have  suffered  persecution.  It  is  not  in 
the  wisdom  of  man  to  make  a  clean  riddance  of  the 
tares  from  the  wheat  ;  and  the  Saviour  has  forbidden 
the  attempt. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  make  remarks  on  the  charac- 
ter of  Theodosius  the  Younger,  or  of  Marcian,  who 
culled  the  two  last  of  the  author's  standard  councils, 
:e  Ephesian  and  Chalccdon  councils.  They  pur- 
ihe  same  system.  Mi.rcian  was  not  a  bad  man; 
he  married  the  empress  Pulchrea,  after  a  solemn  en- 
gagement that  he  should  never  cohabit  with  her  ;  she 
having  devoted  herself  to  perpetual  virginity.  T 
a  marriage  took  place,  under  a  solemn  engagement 
not  to  accomplish  the  purpose  for  which  man 
wus  instituted.  I  only  mention  this  to  shew  tl.- 

invented  for  real    religion  in  thos«  times.   I  will 
drop  the  emperor-.  Authority  wus,  in  their 


106  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

opinion,  to  use  the  words  of  Theodosius,  guided  by 
Jkea-vcnly  wisdom,  (Infallibility !)  and  insert  a  few  ex- 
tracts of  the  character  of  the  church  and  priesthood  of 
that  age. 

On  this  period,  Haweis  says,  "  The  church,  in  all 
the  pomp  of  rites  and  ceremonies,  groaned  under  the 
load  of  her  own  trappings.  Vestments,  holidays,  fasts, 
festivals,  shrines,  martyrs'  tombs,  holy  water,  with  all 
the  trumpery  so  happily  since  improved,  had  begun  to 
deck  out  the  meretricious  Church  of  Rome.  The 
growing-  virtue  of  relics,  and  the  supposed  efficacy  of 
the  intercession  of  departed  saints,  opened  a  door  for 
the  grossest  superstitions.  Even  Augustin  himself 
laments,  that  the  yoke,  under  which  the  Jews  were 
held,  was  liberty  compared  with  the  bondage  imposed 
on  Christians."  Patronage  was  then  introduced,  which 
has  ever  since  been  the  curse  of  even  many  protestant 
churches.  Building  churches  was  an  atonement  for 
sin,  and  entitled  the  builder  to  the  appointing  of  his 
own  pastor.  This  right  is  continued  even  in  Britain. 
The  deserts  were  then  peopled  with  monks  and  her- 
mits, to  whom  an  uncommon  degree  of  sanctity,  and 
the  power  of  working  miracles,  were  ascribed. 

"  The  presbyters  wholly  depended  on  bishops  and 
patrons  :  The  bishops  were  the  creatures  of  patriarchs 
and  metropolitans ;  or,  if  the  see  was  important,  ap- 
pointed by  the  emperor.  So  church  and  state  formed 
the  first  inauspicious  alliance,  and  the  corruption 
which  had  been  plentifully  sown  before,  now  ripened 
by  court  intrigues  for  political  bishops  of  imperial  ap- 
pointment, or  at  the  suggestion  of  the  prime  minister." 

"  The  establishment  of  Christianity  under  Theodo- 
sius, and  the  uniformity  enforced  by  his  decrees,  seem- 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  1C7 

vd  to  have  placed  the  Catholic  Church  on  the  summit 
of  eminence.  This,  added  to  all  the  wealth  poured 
into  it,  and  the  patronage  now  enjoyed,  cast  a  glare  of 
splendour  around  it,  which  might  lead  an  inattentive 
ator  to  reverence  this  establishment  as  a  glorious 
Church;  but  corrupting  already  preyed  on  its  vitals. 
The  name  prevailed,  but  the  glory  was  departed.  The 
profession  of  Christianity  had  become  general,  but  the 
power  of  it  was  nearly  lost.  Ambition,  pride,  luxury, 
and  all  the  legions  of  evils  engendered  by  wealth  and 
power,  lodged  in  her  bosom.  Heresies,  contentions, 
schisms,  rent  her  garments  and  discovered  her  naked- 
ness ;  whilst  every  hand  grasping  at  pre-eminence, 
sought  their  own  exaltation,  instead  of  in  honour  pre- 
ferring one  another,  and  in  meekness  instructing  those 
who  opposed  themselves  :  the  victors  as  well  as  the 
vanquished,  afforded  an  humiliating  spectacle  of  the 
absence  of  all  divine  principle  and  influence. 

The  divided  empire  began  to  fall  in  pieces,  and  to 
be  crushed  by  its  own  weight  ;  whilst  the  feeble  hands 
which  grasped  the  trembling  sceptre,  scarcely  de- 
fended the  tottering  throne  on  which  they  were  seated. 
We  arc  no\r  sinking  into  Gothic  barbarism,  ecclesias- 
tical usurpation,  monkery  triumphant,  and  the  profes- 
sion of  Christianity  buried  under  fraud,  follies,  ceremo- 
nies, and  all  kinds  of  the  most  ridiculous  and  debasing 
superstitions."  Haweis,  vol.  I.  p.  301.  Am.  Edit.  For 
much  more  to  the  same  purpose,  see  Mosheim,  Millot 
and  Gibbons. 

This  was  the  state  of  the  political  catholic  church, 
in  that  period,  which  Mr.  Wylic  selects  for  bur  1 
tion,  in  preference  to  the  apostolic  age,  and  the  present 
state  of  the  church  ia  th:  protcstant  country. 


10$  «KSJCRVAT1ONS  OK 

The  period  of  history  which  I  have  stated,  is  from  th« 
council  of  Nice  to  that  of  Chalcedon,  a  period  of  136 
years,  which  he  has  held  up  as  a  period  of  the  greatest 
perfection  of  the  Christian  church,  and  this  church 
dignified  with  the  superb  title  of  Catholic  by 
Theodosiub,  who,  in  his  own  opinion,  was  guided 
by  infallible  heavenly  wisdom,  It  has  undergone  no 
material  change  of  principle  since  that  period.  It 
indeed  progressed  in  ignorance  and  superstition,  but 
not  in  the  violence  of  persecution.  If  its  own  infallible 
authority  was  not  called  in  question,  it  always  admitted 
of  more  freedom  of  opinion  than  Theodosius  and  Jus- 
tinian did.  It  always  admitted  of  both  the  disciples  of 
Augustine  and  Pelagius,  to  be  in  its  communion,  (viz. 
doctrinal  Calvinists  and  Armenians.)  The  transfer  of 
the  infallibility  from  the  emperor  Phocas,  to  Boniface 
bishop  of  Rome,  about  the  same  time  that  Mahomet 
arose  in  the  east,  made  no  change  of  principle,  nor  did 
it  prevent  the  struggle  for  power  between  kings  and 
bishops.  Theodosius,  guided  by  heavenly  wisdom,  de- 
clared in  a  solemn  decree,  that  the  bishops  of  Rome 
were  possessed  of  the  infallible  traditions  which  all 
must  receive  under  the  penalty  of  temporal  and  eternal 
vengeance.  It  was  reasonable  then,  that  those  immor- 
tal bishops  should  enjoy  and  exercise  the  infallibility, 
and  be  the  sole  and  final  judges  of  truth  on  earth ;  they 
being  the  successors  of  St.  Peter,  and  the  vicars  of 
Christ.  If  it  was  even  now  to  be  put  to  vote,  I  would 
prefer  a  learned  clergyman  to  decide  on  religious  truth, 
to  such  fortunate  military  adventurers  as  Constantino 
and  Theodosius  were,  or  as  Napoleon  now  is.  I  am, 
however,  so  much  of  an  infidel,  as  not  to  believe  one 
word  about  the  infallibility  or  heavenly  wisdom  eiairfeed 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL  109 

:iiid  exercised  by  these  emperors  and  bishops.  I  have 
not  faith  enough  to  believe  that  Peter  was  ever  at 
Rome.  The  scriptures  say  nothing  of  it;  and  he  was 
an  old  man  when  he  wrote  his  last  epistle  in  Asia. 
Christ  and  his  apostles  gare  testimony  of  their  infalli- 
bility, by  their  holiness  of  life,  and  mighty  and  benefi- 
cent works,  beyond  the  ordinary  powers  of  nature. 
The  author's  standard  emperors  and  bishops,  by  their 
general  conduct,  gave  evidence  that  they  were  guided 
by  another  spirit. 

I  was  astonished,  indeed,  on  reading  the  Sons  of 
Oil,  to  observe  that  he  was  so  severe  against  the  mem- 
bers of  the  catholic  church  of  Theodosius  in  this 
state,  as  to  assign  the  protection  of  them  and  their 
property  from  injury,  as  one  of  the  reasons  why  he 
and  those  that  think  with  him,  could  not  obey  (homo- 
logate) the  civil  government  of  the  state.  The  author, 
and  those  who  think  and  act  as  he  does,  ought,  like 
honest  men,  to  avow  their  creed,  viz.  that  received  and 
practised  on,  in  what  he  represents  as  the  purest  time 
of  the  Christian  church ;  and  declare  to  the  world  on 
what  grounds  they  can,  or  do,  keep  separate  from  the 
catholic  church,  or  exclude  papists  from  their  com- 
munion ;  and  what  is  still  more  extraordinary,  endea- 
vour to  exclude  them  from  breathing  in  the  same  air, 
or  drinking  in  the  same  running  stream  with  them- 
selves. It  cannot  be  for  believing  the  infallibility  of 
their  church,  nor  in  a  purging  fire,  (purgatory)  nor  in 
the  actual  removal  of  the  guilt  of  sin  by  baptism,  nor 
the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  bishops,  nor  for  ador- 
ing the  elements  of  the  supper,  nor  worshipping  and 
praying  to  the  spirits  of  departed  saints,  or  reverencing 
'.heir  supposed  bones,  nor  indeed  for  almost  any  super- 

K 


110  OBSERVATIONS  QIC 

stition  that  I  know  of,  practised  at  this  day  in  the  Ca- 
tholic church  ;  surely  not  for  the  surplice,  and  endless 
ceremonies  practised  in  their  worship.  All  these  were 
practised  in  his  period  of  purity  which  he  pompously 
holds  forth  as  a  perfect  model  for  our  imitation.  Surely, 
to  be  consistent,  the  author  ought  to  keep  communion 
still  with  the  church,  dignified  by  the  emperor  Theo- 
dosius,  with  the  honourable  title  of  catholic.  That  em- 
peror certainly  set  the  most  perfect  example  of  ratify- 
ing and  sanctioning  the  laws  of  the  most  high  God, 
and  the  decrees  of  the  church,  and  of  that  discretion 
so  much  recommended  by  the  author.  He  decided  on 
the  ordination  and  doctrine  of  the  clergy,  and  purged 
the  church  fully,  agreeably  to  the  author's  prescrip- 
tion, p.  24,  &c.  He,  in  the  free  exercise  of  this  autho- 
rity, appointed  such  bishops  to  princely  thrones,  as,  in 
his  discretion,  he  thought  proper  ;  and  degraded  from 
that  pre-eminence  more,  perhaps,  than  a  thousand,  by 
one  stroke  of  his  pen.  They  might  have  deserved  it, 
but  they  were  not  admitted  to  answer  for  themselves, 
agreeable  to  the  Roman  law,  as  the  apostle  Paul  was, 
even  in  the  reign  of  the  monster  Nero. 

It  is  a  received  opinion,  that  the  best  things,  when 
corrupted,  become  the  worst.  The  persecuting  laws  of 
Theodosius,  Justinian,  Sec.  were  more  absurd  and 
inconsistent  than  even  the  laws  of  the  inhuman  mon- 
sters Nero  and  Domitian.  The  laws  of  Moses  did  not 
permit  any  man  to  be  condemned,  but  at  the  mouth  of 
two  witnesses.  Theodosius,  guided  by  heavenly  wis- 
dom, did  not  consider  himself  to  be  bound  by  such 
limits.  He  authorised  the  Catholics  to  kill  the  impious 
heretics  at  discretion.  Charles  II.  and  the  parliament 
of  England,  followed  this  pious  example  ;  they  cast 


THG   TWO   SONS  Of   OJUL.  1  1  I 

two  thousand  gospel  ministers  out  of  the  church  in 
one  day  by  the  Bartholomew  act,  without  hearing  or 
trial,  ,uise  they  would  not  prefer  human  autho- 

rity to  divine.  The  same  king  and  Scottish  parliament 
acted  in  the  same  manner  in  Scotland,  and  with  still 
greater  severity. 

Before  presbytery  or  a  political  reformation  was 
introduced  in  Scotland,  the  pious  and  justly  revered 
martyrs,  Mill,  Hamilton,  Wisport,  and  others,  suf- 
fered martyrdom  for  the  precious  gospel  of  Christ ; 
not  for  a  political  church  establishment.  That  church 
nfterv/ards,  under  the  instruction  of  the  justly  cele- 
brated John  Knox,  who  had  been  a  preacher  in  the 
Episcopal  church  of  England,  during  the  reign  of  Ed- 
ward VI.  to  which  he  had  retreated  during  the  per- 
secution in  Scotland,  taking  the  advice  of  the  Sa- 
viour, when  they  were  persecuted  in  one  city,  to  flee 
to  another,  he,  with  the  English  divines,  during  the 
bloody  persecution  of  Mary,  lied  to  Frankford  in  Ger- 
many, and  from  thence  to  Geneva,  where  he  became 
a  worthy  disciple  of  the  celebrated  John  Calvin  ;  from 
whence,  returning  to  his  native  country,  (Scotland)  as 
soon  as  he  could  do  it  with  safety,  he,  with  admirable 

ige  and  perseverance,  promoted  the  overtu: 
of  tin.  itantme  and  Theodosius,  and  the 

substitution  of  the  protestant,  viz.  the   srrlptuml  doc- 

of  the  reformation  in  its  stead,  acc< 

vesbyterian  form  of  churci 

ly    similar  to  what  Calvin  had  introduced  in  Gt 
as  was  convenient;  but  not  exclusive  of  moderate  i 
copa<  as  appears   to  have  tula:!. 

second  century.   Bishops  who  embraced  the 
pruu  ,      aued    i;i    cununu" 


OBSERVATIONS  ON 

and  bishops,  under  the  name  of  superintendants,  t© 
visit  the  parish  clergy,  were  appointed  to  prescribed 
districts — they  were  responsible  to  the  general  assem- 
bly for  their  conduct,  and  removeable  by  it.  This, 
however,  did  not  succeed  ;  the  bishops,  supported  by 
the  influence  of  the  crown,  though  not  constitutionally 
invested  with  the  sovereignty  over  Christ's  body,  gra- 
dually prevailed,  and  oveiturned  presbytery;  but  when 
the  impositions  of  prelacy  were  increased  by  Charles  I. 
and  archbishop  Laud,  the  people  revolted  against  it,  and 
restored  presbytery  without  the  consent  of  the  king. 
This  dispute  was  silenced  daring  the  government  of 
Cromwell,  who,  though  to  this  day  called  a  usurper, 
always  refused  to  usurp  the  authority  of  Christ  over 
his  own  house.  Charles  II.  had  no  such  scruples.  He 
restored  prelacy  on  the  ruins  of  presbytery,  in  a  vio- 
lent manner,  and  made  many  human  sacrifices  to  the 
idol  uniformity,  which  Constantine  and  Theodosius 
had  set  up.  Under  his  reign,  profligacy  and  every 
species  of  vice  had  full  scope.  After  this,  the  inclina- 
tion and  the  interest  of  the  nation,  in  order  to  obtain 
internal  peace,  produced  the  re-establishment  of  pres- 
bytery in  Scotland,  and  Episcopacy  in  England ;  and 
Ireland,  where,  to  this  day,  eight  tenths  of  the  peo- 
ple are  members  of  the  Catholic  church,  was  esta- 
blished agreeably  to  the  heavenly  wisdom  of  Theodo- 
sius and  his  successors,  in  the  government  of  the 
church. 

Time  will  not  permit  giving  the  history  of  all  the 
political  churches  of  Europe,  but  it  would  be  easy  to 
shew  that  those  establishments  checked  the  progress 
of  the  beloved  reformation,  and  was  at  least  the  occa- 
sion of  reconciling  thousands^  including  many  sove- 


SONS   OF  OIL.  1  13 

and  nobles,   who,   as  their   anc» 
supported  th  1   reformation,   back   to   tiie 

tvminunion  of  the  Catholic  church.  Finding  • 

changing  tyrants,   they  returned  to    their  t\. 

uist  be  known  to  every  intelligent  Pro- 
testant, that  the  blessed  gospel  was  received  and  pro- 
tected by  the  poor  among  the  rocks  of  Picdmon* 
the  sterile  islands  of  Scotland,  after  it   was  bai.i 
from  the  palaces  and  courts  of  emperors  and  princely 
•ps.     The   Lollards  and   Culdees  in  Britain 
;me  knowledge  of  the  word  of  life.  WickiirYt-  in 

instrument  of  reviving 

church  of  Christ  in  that  country,  and  throughout  ilu- 
rope.  He  not  only  preached  the  gospel  as  revealed  in 
the  scripture,  but  translated  it  and  put  it  into  the  peo- 
ple's hands  to  judge  for  themselves.  Lord  Cabam,  and 
oilier  of  his  disciples  in  England,  Germany, 
fcc.  expiated  the  guilt  of  heresy  in  the  Humes,  agreea- 
bly to  the  laws  of  Theodosius.  The  church  of  Christ, 
banished  to  the  wilderness  by  emperors  and  princely 
bishops,  was  still,  agreeably  to  his  promise,  preserved 
/uldenses,  the  Culdees,  and  the  Wickliffites, 
and  yielded  a  plentiful  crop  of  martyrs  to  the  flames. 
Their  souls  arc  represented  (Rev.'-vi.  9.)  as  crying  for 

;•  -editors. 

VIII.  01  England,  (of  whom  Sir  W.Raleigh, 
a  coi:  says,  that  if  the  record  of  all  the 

tyrants    with    which   ever  mankind    had   I 
'lj  wcrc  i  hed,    his  character  would  be  a 

e  bishop 

of  Ron:e,  then  the  nckno'.vlecl^rd  Head  of  the  church 
°f  Cl.:  about  a  question  of  divorce  ;  h 

nounced  the  authority  of  the  pope  (bishop)  of  Rome, 


114  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

and  declared  himself  pope,  viz.  header  supreme  judge 
in  all  cases,  civil  or  ecclesiastic,  in  England.  And  in 
the  exercke  of  this  authority,  hanged  or  burned  such 
as  either  acknowledged  the  pope's  authority  on  the 
one  hand,  or  denied  his  doctrine,  as  transubstantiation, 
£cc.  on  the  other.  Governed  by  the  heavenly  wisdom  by 
which  Theodosius  and  his  successors  were  guided, 
(which,  however,  I  call  wicked  caprice)  the  religion 
of  England,  or  at  least  the  national  creed,  an  this  event, 
changed  four  times  in  twenty  years.  The  clergy  be- 
came perfect  disciples  in  the  change  of  oaths.  Who- 
ever  would  be  king  (head  of  the  church)  they  would 
be  vicar  of  Bray.  Oaths  had  become  a  form,  and  faith 
»in  article  of  traffic. 

The  choicest  servants  of  God,  in  every  age,  have 
exhibited  marks  of  imperfection  ;  even  the  apostles, 
when  not  guided  by  divine  inspiration,  knew  but  in 
part,  and  were  not  already  perfect.  The  primitive 
martyrs  in  the  first  and  second  centuries,  laboured 
under  great  mistakes  ;  so  did  those  who  suffered  un- 
der bloody  Mary  in  England,  and  in  every  other  pe- 
riod. This  appears  to  have  been  wisely  ordered  by  di- 
vine providence,  in  a  state  of  society  in  which  all  are 
depraved,  and  liable  to  frequent  errors ;  in  which  he 
made  it  our  duty  to  depend  on  himself  for  religious 
nctior,  as  well  as  for  the  forgiveness  of  our  of- 
ienccs,  and  not  to  depend  on  man,  whose  breath  is  in 
his  nostrils,  who  goes  astray  from  his  birth,  and  drink- 
eth  up  iniquity  like  water.  k  To  teach  us  this  lesson, 
that  the  errors  and  mistakes  of  the  eminent  patriarchs, 
prophets,  pious  kings,  apostles,  martyrs  and  confes- 
sors, who  enjoyed  the  smiles  of  heaven  in  an  extraor- 
dinary degree,  are  not  for  examples  but  cautions.  They 


THt  TWO  SONS  Or  115 

:i  record  for  our  learning.  Yet,  strange  as  i: 
seems,  it  is  nevertheless  true,  that  erring  men  have 
not  improved  this  practical  lesson  of  instruction  as 
they  ought. 

The  Catholic  church,  in  the  third  and  fourth  cen- 
s,  and  to  the  present  day,  idolized  the  memories 
the  tombs,  and  even  the  bones  of  the  martyrs  of  the 
first  and  second  centuries,  and  substituted  them  i;, 
place  of  the  Saviour,  by  praying  to  them  as  intcrccs- 
with  God.    They  copied  their  errors,  and   made 
.ous  to  them,  but  not  their  virtues.    In  like  man- 
,  ceremonies,  and  forms,  not  introduced 
but  from  a  principle  of  accommodation,  practised  by 
the  godly   bishops  and  other  pious  martyrs  in  bloody 
Mary's  reign,   was  in  the  succeeding  reign  of  Eliza- 
beth, copied  after,  as  the   testimony  of  the  martyrs  ; 
and  as  error   is  always   progressive,   such   additions 
made  to  them  by  Laud  and  others,  as  would  have 
excluded  these  martyrs  from  church  communion,  had 
they  been  living.  The  creeds  and  concordates,  now  in 
use  inmost  of  the  political  protestant  churches,  would 
ide  the  reformers  if  they  were  now  living.     The 
solemn  league  and  covenant   would  exclude  all  who 
did  not  with  their  hearts  believe  that  Scotland,  Eng- 
land, and  Ircl  e  morally  bound  to  be  in  a  per- 
il league,  as  separate  and   independent   nations, 
and  bound  to  support  the   royal  prerogative,   and  the 
privileges  of  three  distinct  parliaments,  as  they  stood 
te  year  K  no  suffered  privations,  tor- 
ath,   in  the   tyrannical  reigns  of  the  two 
last  Stuarts,  douh;  laboured   under  mistakes. 

.•ed  of  their  natural  and  un- 
alienable  right  of  worshipping  almighty  God  agreea- 


116  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

bly  to  their  own  knowledge  of  his  perfections  and  his 
will,  by  the  sanctioning  and  ratifying  power  of  the 
civil  magistrate,  agreeable  to  Mr.  Wylie's  system, 
and  the  public  conscience  of  Hobbes,  then  prevalent, 
If  the  Saviour  was  correct,  in  declaring  to  the  Jews  in 
his  own  day,  (Mat.  xxiii.  35)  that  all  the  guilt  of  the 
righteous  blood  shed,  from  that  of  righteous  Abel  to  the 
blood  of  Zacharias,  should  be  visited  on  that  generation, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Wylie,  and  those  who  think  with  him, 
should  carefully  examine  how  far  they  make  them- 
selves heirs  to  the  guilt  of  the  blood  of  the  martyrs, 
shed  from  the  time  of  Constantine  and  the  council  of 
Nice,  to  the  present  day. 

'How  far,  or  in  how  many  things  those  who  believe 
in  the  divinity  of,  and  atonement  made  by  him  who 
was,  by  divine  direction,  called  Jesus  (viz.  the  Sa- 
viour from  sin)  may  differ  in  other  things,  or  even 
\vhat  degree  of  indistinctness  their  impressions  may 
be  of  those  very  important  principles,  has  employed 
the  wisdom  of  ages,  without  success,  to  define ;  nor 
will  it  ever  be  defined  with  precision  in  this  world. 
God,  who  knows  all  our  motives  of  action,  and  the  cir- 
cumstances by  which  our  actions  are  influenced,  has 
reserved  the  power  of  this  discrimination  in  his  own 
hand,  and  has  restrained  men  from  usurping  his  au- 
thority. The  obligation  on  all  men  to  make  the  morul 
law  of  their  nature,  the  rule  of  their  conduct,  can  ne- 
ver be  dispensed  with,  unless  a  change  of  the  divine 
nature  takes  place,  which,  even  to  contemplate  with 
approbation,  is  blasphemy.  That  law,  as  a  condition  of 
life,  and  the  positive  institution  of  the  covenant  of 
works  having  given  place  to  the  gospel,  the  plan  and 
discovery  of  which;  results  solely  from  the  free  and  so- 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  117 

i^n  will  of  God;  by  the  same  sovereign  will  all 
the  conditions  of  enjoying  gospel  privileges  are  pre- 
scribed. 

The  conditions,  as  prescribed  by  the  forerunners  of 
the  blessed  Saviour  who  came  to  prepare  his  way  are, 
John  iii.  36.  u  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  ever- 
lasting life,  and  he  that  belicveth  not  the  Son,  shall 
not  see  life."    And  by  Paul  and  Silas,  to  the  keeper  of 
the   prison,   "  believe  on   the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
thou  shalt  be  saved."    But  that  believing,  viz.  iuith 
if  it  is  genuine,  worketh  by  love,  Gal.  v.   6. — "  love  is 
the   fulfilling   of  the   law."     They   are   only  Christ's 
"  friends,  that  do  what  he   commands   them."    John 
xv.  14. — And  faith  without  works  is  dead,  James  ii.  17. 
The   Saviour's   rule   of   moral   conduct   towards   our 
neighbour,  is,  "  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should 
do  unto  you,  do  ye  the  same  unto  them."  Mat.  vii.  12. 
These  are  all  the  terms  of  Christian  communion,  which 
I  find  prescribed  by  the  Saviour  and  his  apostles,  to 
the   New   Testament    church.    Whosoever  does  not 
profess  this  faith,  and  endeavour  to  live  agreeable  to 
these  rules,  are  not  Christ's  disciples,  nor  entitled  to 
communion  in  his  church ;  and  to  such  as  add  to,  as 
take  away  from   them,  he,  in  the  conclusion  of  the 
New  Ttstament,  says,  he  will  add  to  him  the  plagues 
written  in  that  book,  and  take  away  his  part  out  of  the 
book  of  life.    With  such  as  reject  this  faith,  as  disobc-y 
these  rules,  they  are  to  have  no  religious  fellowship. 
Further  than  this,  the  church  is  not  authorised  to  go 
by  its  glorious  head. 

Civil  governments,  appointed  by  the  people  in  pur- 
suit of  their  own  happiness,  are  under  a  moral  obligation 
to  protect  all  men  who  lead  quiet  and  peaceable  11 


115  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

and  punish  such  as  do  not ;  they  are,  in  so  doing,  nurs- 
ing fathers  to  the  church,  which  few  of  them  have  ever 
been.  Many  of  the  heathen  emperors  persecuted  it,  but 
the  imperial  union  of  church  and  state,  has  far  ex- 
ceeded them  in  violence  and  cruelty,  and  in  keeping 
the  human  mind  in  darkness. 

The  author,  and  others  who  think  with  him,  com- 
plain much  of  our  governments  for  granting  liberty  of 
conscience,  toleration  &c.  There  is  no  such  thing  in 
our  laws.  They  made  no  religious  establishment,  of 
which  toleration,  as  understood  in  national  political 
churches,  is  the  spurious  brood.  Jehovah,  as  the  pecu- 
liar king  of  the  Israelitish  theocracy,  tolerated  so  far 
as  not  to  authorize  the  civil  magistrates  to  punish 
much  greater  departures  from  the  purity  of  the  moral 
law,  than  any  of  the  United  States  have.  He  tolerated 
polygamy,  concubinage  and  divorces  at  discretion,  the 
perpetual  slavery  of  aliens  and  their  posterity,  and 
several  other  deviations  from  the  moral  law,  which 
our  laws  prohibit  and  punish.  Sadducees  who  de- 
nied the  resurrection  of  the  dead  and  the  existence  of 
angels  and  spirits,  were  not  only  tolerated  to  be  in  the 
communion  of  the  church,  but  to  be  the  priests  of  it 
Such  was  the  wisdom  of  God ;  but  he  gave  them  the 
moral  law  for  their  rule,  as  they  should  account  to 
himself. 

If  these  zealous  enemies  of  that  Christian  forbear- 
ance, agreeable  to  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  which 
they  call  toleration,  would  only  with  the  spirit  of  meek- 
ness, without  one  passion,  peruse  Rom.  14.  through- 
out, they  would  perhaps  think  with  me,  that  most  of 
the  regular  protestant  churches,  might  and  ought  still 
to  be  in  one  communion.  None  of  them  are  perfect,  but 


TH*  TWO  SONS  OF  Oil,.  11$ 

most  of  them,  with  the  holy  patriarch  Job,  «  hare  the 
root  of  the  matter  in  them.'*  I  have  heard  much  of 
the  importance  and  necessity  of  public  testimony  bear- 
ing. The  histories  and  doctrines  of  the  new  testament, 
contain  the  testimony  of  Christ's  church.  To  add  to  it 
it  presumption. 

I  will  conclude  this  paragraph  with  a  few  sentences 
from  the  apostle  Paul,  Rom.  xiv.  "  Who  art  thou  that 
judgest  another  man's  servant?  To  his  own  master  he 
standeth  or  falleth. — But  why  dost  thou  judge  thy  bro- 
ther ?  or  why  dost  thou  set  at  nought  thy  brother  ?  for 
we  shall  all  stand  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ. 
Let  us  not  therefore  judge  one  another  any  more."  If 
the  same  spirit  which  guided  the  apostle,  had  continued 
to  guide  the  church,  there  never  would  have  been  po- 
litical churches,  nor  persecution  for  difference  of 
opinion.  This  would  have  passed  to  the  judgment  seat 
of  Christ. 

In  page  40,  the  author  says,  "  Most,  if  not  all,  of 
the  state  constitutions,  contain  fiositive  immorality. 
Witness  their  recognition  of  such  rights  of  conscience, 
as  sanction  every  blasphemy,  which  a  depraved  heart 
may  believe  to  be  true.  The  recognition  of  such  rights 
of  conscien«e,  is  insulting  to  the  Majesty  of  heaven." 
In  the  next  page,  he  particularly  denounces  the  con- 
stitution of  Pennsylvania,  for  permitting  the  people  tb 
reserve  from  the  powers  of  government,  "  The  inde- 
feasible right  of  worshipping  Almighty  God,  whatever 
way  a  man's  conscience  may  dictate  ;  and  declares,  that 
this  shall,  for  ever,  remain  inviolate. 

The  words  whatever  way,  are  not  in  that  instru- 
ment ;  but  I  admit  them.  The  constitution,  in  this  in- 
stance or.Iy,  reserved  what  they  had  no  moral  power 


120  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

to  take  away.  The  master  has  not  the  power  of  taking 
the  right  from  his  slave  of  worshipping  God  agreeable 
to  his  own  knowledge  of  his  perfections  and  his  will. 
Worship  offered  in  obedience  to  the  master's  know- 
ledge and  judgment  of  the  will  of  God,  that  is,  the 
master's  conscience,  would  indeed  be  a  mockery ;  it 
would  be  insulting  to  the  all-seeing  God,  who  knows 
our  thoughts  before  we  utter  them.  If  the  slave  has 
this  right,  it  must  be  unalienable.  The  representatives 
of  Pennsylvania  in  convention,  could  have  no  greater 
claims  on  the  obedience  of  their  constituents,  than 
masters  have  over  their  slaves.  They  could  not  oblige 
them  to  worship  agreeable  to  their  own  reason  and 
judgment,  on  an  implicit  faith.  All  acceptable  wor- 
ship is  a  reasonable  service  rendered  in  faith,  agreea- 
ble to  the  discoveries  of  the  will  of  God,  as  revealed 
to  the  worshippers.  If  he  is  ignorant,  or  ill-informed 
of  it,  his  sin,  if  information  is  attainable,  but  worship 
rendered  agreeable  to  the  judgment  of  another  man, 
contrary  to  his  own,  is  a  presumptuous  sin,  nearly 
approaching  to  that  which  has  no  forgiveness. 

The  author,  indeed,  personifies  conscience,  as  if  it 
was  an  independent  agent.  He  charges  it  with  legiti- 
mating what  God's  law  condemns ;  and  acting  para- 
mount to  the  divine  law,  rendering  virtuous  and  lau- 
dable the  most  damnable  errors— the  most  horrid  blas- 
phemies, 8cc.  Page  41. 

It  is  necessary  to  enquire  what  this  monster  is.  It 
is  no  person :  it  is  an  exercise  of  mind  of  every  man 
possessed  of  reason.  It  is  not  even  a  faculty  of  mind, 
It  is  the  exercise  of  memory,  recollecting  what  the 
person  has  done ;  and  of  reason,  comparing  our  con- 
duct with  the  law ;  and  of  the  judgment,  drawing  a 


S  OP  OIL. 

conclusion.   V>  suppose  Judas   reasoned  thus  : 

He  that  betrayeth  an  innocent  person  to  death,  break- 
eth  the  law.  I  have  betrayed  an  innocent  person  to 
death  ;  therefore  I  have  broken  the  law.  Reason  and 
judgment  arc  exercised  also  before  the  action  contem- 
plated is  committed,  in  comparing  the  proposed  ac- 
tion with  the  law,  and  drawing  the  conclusion.  This  is 
called  an  antecedent  exercise  of  conscience,  and  the 
other  a  subsequent  exercise  of  it. 

The-  apostle  Paul  treats  of  both,  Rom.  ii.    14,  15. 
'..e  (ien'iks  which  know  not  the  law,   do 
.uire  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  these,  having 
not  the  law,  are  a  law  unto  themselves  :    which  shew 
work  of  the  law   written  in   their  hearts,    their 
conscience  also  bearing  witness,  and  their  thoughts  ia 
the  mean  while  accusing  or  else  excusing  one  ano- 
-idem,  from  the  context,  that  by  /a  where 
is    meant  the   written  law  revealed  by  the  prophets  ; 
and  that  by  nature,  is  meant  the  remains  of  the  law  of 
nature    in  man,   by  which  their   moral  conduct  is  go- 
verned ;   which  shews  that  the  office  of  conscience  is 
.iame  in  all  men,   whether  they  have  the  written 
word  or  not.    It  bears  witness  ;   this  is  the  exercise  of 
memory,  and  a  very  important  one.    In  this  exercise, 
conscience  may  for  a  time  be  silenced  or  seared,  but 
it  cannot  be  extinguished.  It  haunts  the  slumbers,  and 
even  the  pleasures,  of  the  wicked,  and  will  torment 
the  finally  impenitent  through  eternity. 

Their  thoughts  (viz.  their  reason  and  judgment)  in 

the  mean  while   accusing1  or  else  excusing  one  another^ 

viz.  comparing  their  conduct  with  the  law,  and  dccid- 

.  vourablyor  unfavourably,  agreeable  to  that  rule. 

:e  is  not  here  represented  as  that  rampant 

L 


122  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

tyrant  that  legitimates ,  viz.  makes  laws  to  sanction 
every  blasphemy,  paramount  to  the  divine  law.  It  is 
the  recorder  of  the  actions,  and  the  accuser  or  excuser 
of  them,  and  is  guided  solely  by  the  divine  law,  as  far 
as  that  law  is  known.  It  is  so  far  from  being  a  law- 
making  power,  that  it  is  a  term  solely  relative  to  law. 
If  there  was  no  divine  law,  there  could  be  no  place  or 
use  for  that  exercise  of  the  faculties  of  mind  called 
conscience.  It  would  have  no  rule  nor  object. 

Many  divines  have  called  conscience  God's  -vice- 
gerent in  the  soul  of  man,  and  not  improperly,  fork  is 
a  faithful  and  diligent  accuser  of  every  known  breach 
of  the  divine  law ;  it  will  not  give  the  sinner  rest  un- 
der the  knowledge  of  guilt ;  and  it  is  also  a  very  comfor- 
table approver  of  conduct,  done  agreeable  to  the  divine 
law.  The  apostle  (2  Cor.  i.  12.)  says,  "  Our  rejoicing 
is  this,  the  testimony  of  our  conscience,"  Sec.  Heb. 
xiii.  18.  "We  trust  we  have  a  good  conscience." 
The  term  conscience  is  more  than  thirty-six  times 
used  in  the  New  Testament,  but  in  no  instance  in  the 
sense  in  which  the  author  has  used  it,  viz.  as  a  law- 
making  power,  and  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  but 
itself  a  paramount  law.  Indeed  I  cannot  reduce  the  use 
he  makes  of  it  to  common  sense.  That  many  have 
exalted  human  reason  above  the  revealed  manifesta- 
tions of  God  and  his  law,  I  well  know ;  but  that  con- 
science, which  is  a  relative  term  to  law,  and  regulated 
by  it?  should  be  exalted  above  law,  even  to  be  law  it- 
self, seems  a  contradiction  in  terms.  Deists  substitute 
human  reason  and  their  knowledge  of  the  law  of  na- 
ture, in  the  place  of  supernatural  revelation  ;  and  thus, 
like  the  Jews  of  old,  reject  the  counsel  of  God  against 
themselves  ;  but  still  they  permit  conscience  to  act  in 


THE  TWO  SONS   OF  OIL.  123 

its  proper  place — to  act  agreeably  to  the  law,  the  obli- 
gation of  which  they  acknowledge.  They  cannot  do 
otherwise  ;  they  may  have  their  understanding  blind- 
ed ;  they  may,  by  the  obstinate  depravity  of  their  will, 
refuse  to  receive  instruction,  and  be  destroyed  for 
want  of  knowledge;  but  they  cannot  divest  themselves 
of  that  exercise  of  the  faculties  of  the  mind,  which  is 
called  conscience;  and  it  will  decide  agreeable  to  the 
divine  law  impartially — agreeably  to  the  knowledge 
of  possessed  by  the  understanding. 

it  is  proper  to  premise,   that  the  m::n: 
simple,  undivided  power  of  acting,  or  determining  how 
it  ought  to  act ;   that  speaking  of  the  faculties  of  the 
mind  as  distinct   from  each  other,  is  only  done   for 
illustration,  in  the  same  manner  as  we  are  permitted 
to  do  of  the  divine  perfections.  God  is  one,  undivided 
and  indivisible  ;  yet  he  permits  us  to  speak  of  his  divine 
perfections,  in  u  manner  suited  to  our  capacities.  The 
mind  of  mail  is  so  also,  but  in  a  very  subordinate  de- 
gree. Mind  or  spirit  is  indivisible,  therefore  immor- 
tal ;    and  even  in  this  respect  it,  though  very  faintly, 
iibles  its  Creator.   lie  is  infinite  and  independent 
of  all  creatures  ;   angels,  arch-angels,  and  the  spirits 
or  minds  of  men,  arc    wholly  dependent  on  him,  not 
existence,  but  for  the  continuance  there- 
ppy  enjoyment  of  it :  for  it  is  in  him  they 
ull  l"ue,  and  move,  and  have  their  being.   It  is  in  his 
the  breath  of  man  is,  for  he  received  it  from  his 
-r,   and  none  of  his  fellow  men  have  a  right  to 
deprive  him  of  the  breath  of  life,  which  God  freely  gave, 
;>t  in  defence  of  his  own  life,  or  in  obedience  to  a  po- 
sitive  command  of  God,  or  to   the  laws  of  society, 
enacted  agreeably  to  the  moral  law. 


124  •BS&RVATIONS  ON 

I  was  a  member  of  the  convention  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  of  the  committee  that  prepared  the  constitution 
for  public  discussion.  Knowing  the  mistakes  that  had 
been  promoted,  either  through  ignorance  or  artifice,  or 
both,  among  pious  well-meaning  people ;  to  prevent 
giving  them  offence,  I  endeavoured  to  have  the  term 
conscience  suppressed,  and  the  definition  of  it,  viz. 
That  no  man  should  be  obliged  to  ivorship  God  contrary 
to  his  own  knowledge  and  judgment  of  his  will,  substi- 
tuted for  it;  but  failed.  It  was  not  easy  to  convince  those 
with  whom  I  acted,  that  people  did  not  generally  know 
the  meaning  of  a  term  in  such  general  use  as  con- 
science. It  would  have  been  much  easier  for  Constan- 
tino or  Theodosius  to  have  made  their  own  conscience 
the  rule,  than  for  a  numerous  convention  to  do  it. 
They  possessed  above  sixty  different  consciences,  or 
judgments  of  their  own,  differing  less  or  more  from 
each  other.  They  laid  the  constitution  before  the  peo- 
ple before  it  was  enacted  ;  after  this  the  convention  was 
dissolved.  The  author's  standard  emperors  had  each 
but  one  conscience  or  judgment,  and  this  was  change- 
able ;  and  they  were  possessed  of  absolute  power, 
which  enabled  them  to  oblige  the  consciences  of  all 
their  subjects  to  submit  implicitly  to  their  own  con- 
science, in  all  its  changes,  or  suffer  for  disobedience 
to  it. 

Mr.  Wylie  says,  plausibly  enough,  that  the  divine 
laiv  is  the  rule  ;  so  says  the  church  of  Rome.  But 
what  is  that  divine  law  ?  not  the  moral  law,  nor  the 
precepts  of  the  gospel,  but  such  parts  of  the  peculiar 
law  of  Moses,  as  he  thinks  proper  to  revive,  after  it  has 
been  eighteen  hundred  years  abrogated,  and  even  that 
only  agreeably  to  the  construction  to  be  given  te  it  by 


THE   TWO   SONS  OF  OiL 

the  civil  magistrate,  in  the  exorcise  of  \\\^ 
and   functioning   power  of  the  la\vs   of    the  moat    high 
God,  equal  to  ivliat  he  does  with  ch>il  lams.  Hence,  ac- 
cording to  him,  we  must  give  up  our  own  judg:. 
and  reason,  (viz.  conscience)    implicitly  to  the   con- 
science of  Ills  civil  magistrate,  and  without  any  assu- 
rance of  the  infallibility  of  that  magistrate.  I  will  ap- 
pealtothe  author  himself,  if  we  are  to  give  up  our  own 
judgment  and  our  responsibility  to  (lod,  if  il  is  not  bet- 
ter at  once  to  join  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  which 

rtified  by  Thcodosius,  to  possess  infallibility,  and, 
as  asserted  from  anti']uiiy,  the  power  of  remitting  our 
sins  if  we  err;  than  to  depend  upon  his  own,  or  the 
deistical  philosopher  Hobbes'  public  conscience,  who 
cannot  forgive  our  offences. 

That  this  is  not  a  forced  construction  of  his  senti- 
ments, is  evident  from  his  own  words.  He  charges 
the  constitution  with  sanctioning  whatever  a  "  de- 
praved heart  may  believe  to  be  true."  I  believe  the 
hearts  of  all  men  arc  depraved,  viz.  have  a  corrupted 
nature,  but  that  many  increase  their  own  depravity  by 
habits  of  wickedness  ;  but  I  ask  the  author  whether  he 
thinks  that  compelling  them  by  civil  penalties  to  pro- 

or  practice  what  they  believe  not  to  be  true,  or  to 
be  sinful,  will  remove  that  depravity,  or  increase  it  ? 
He  thinks  it  will  remove  it,  or  else  he  would  not  re- 
commend the  practice.  I  think  directly  the  contrary, 
and  have  scripture  and  the  experience  of  all  ages  on 
my  side.  Dealing  deceitfully  or  in  guile  with  the 

-searching  God,  and  obeying  man  in  preference  to 
him,  is,  in  scripture,  branded  as  a  sin  of  the  deepest 

The  effects  of  this  on  the  moral  character  of  na- 
tions, might  be   shewn  in  numerous  instances.    It  is 
i,  2 


126  OBSERVATIONS  OS 

sufficient  to  mention  the  well  known  rapid  progress  of 
profligacy,  promoted  by  the  laws  of  Constantine,to  con- 
iroul  the  consciences  of  men ;  and  the  extreme  profli- 
gacy produced  in  England  and  Scotland,  on  the  resto- 
ration of  the  house  of  Stuart.  The  conformity,  enforced 
by  the  same  means,  in  the  preceding  period  in  Scot- 
land, had  prepared  an  abundant  nursery  of  hypocrites, 
who,  on  the  change  of  the  civil  magistracy,  became 
the  most  violent  persecutors  of  what  they,  by  com- 
missioli,  solemnly  professed.  The  author  ought  to 
have  known,  however,  that  our  laws  provide  for  the 
punishment  of  vice  and  immorality;  among  which, 
blasphemy,  viz.  a  profane  use  of  the  names  of  any  of 
the  persons  of  the  trinity  are  expressly  enumerated.  The 
very  section  which  he  quotes,  protects  the  worship  of 
the  Almighty  God  only,  and  not  of  Baal  or  Molech, 
nor  the  idol  of -uniformity  in  religion,  (prescribed  and 
enforced  by  depraved  man)  which  has  been  no  less 
bloody ;  it  has  destroyed  not  only  the  bodies,  but  the 
souls  of  men. 

In  page  41,  the  author  says,  "  But,  supposing  for 
a.  moment,  that  men  had  such  a  right,  let  us  enquire 
how  they  came  by  it  ?  Either  they  must  have  it  by  de- 
rivation from  God,  or  hold  it  independently  of  him." 

This  supposition  is  contrived  to  be  a  foundation 
for  a  number  of  dilemmas,  calculated  to  alarm  the 
passions,  but  not  to  inform  the  judgment,  accompanied 
with  so  many  notes  of  astonishment,  as  seem  to  have 
affrighted  himself;  nor  is  it  very  singular,  for  men  to 
be  affrighted  with  monsters  created  by  their  own  ima- 
gination. I  will  not,  however,  examine  these  sophisms 
in  detail ;  but,  to  his  supposition,  I  answer  by  denying 
the  assertion  on  which  it  is  founded,  viz.  that  our  c en- 


THE   TWO  SONS  OF  *)IL. 

stitution  ''•  giv'  1  security  and  establishment  to 

gross  heresy  and  umkT  the  notion  of  liberty 

•  nee." — p.  40.    and    that   we    maintain    that 
41  coii  can    legitimate    what    God's    law    con- 

demns."— p.  41. 

I  answer  again,  that  the   charges   are  wholly  un- 
founded.    The    constitution    gives   no   liberty  of  con- 

ce.  This  was  not  in  the  power  of  the  convention 
to  give  or  to  withhold.  The  members  of  the  conven- 
tion were  of  the  same  opinion  with  the  Westminster 
clivin.  "  Thai  God  alone  is  Lord  of  the  con- 

science, and  hath  left  it  free  from  the  doctrines   and 
commandments  of  men,"  and  that  "  God,  the  supreme 

:,nd  king  of  all  the  world,  hath  ordained  civil  ma- 
to  be  under  him,  and  over  the  people,  for  his 
o\,n  glory  and  the  public  good."  But  they  did  not 
find  it  in  any  place  in  scripture,  that  ever  God,  the  su- 
preme lord  of  all  the  world,  had  transferred  to  the  ci- 
vil magistrate,  his  sovereignly  over  the  consci( 
-.  iz.  the  reason  and  judgment  of  men  in  things  for  which 
ily  accountable  to  himself.  If  he  had, 
there  would  have  been  lords  of  the  conscience,  as 
many  as  there  were  supreme  civil  magistrates.  Christ 
instituted  a  gospel  ministry  for  the  edification  of  souls. 
Civil  magistracy  was  introduced  by  the  law  of  nature, 
for  toe  happiness  of  society,  as  marriage  and  the  sub- 
jection of  children  to  their  parents  were  ;  hence,  the 

iminster  divines,  and  all  approved  commentators, 
derive  the  relation  of  magistrates  and  subjects,  and 
their  relative  duties,  from  the  fifth  precept  of  the 

i  law,  which  is  a  compcnd  of  the  law  of  nature. 
God  positively  instituted  but  one  government  ai 
men,  and  that  was  temporary,  suited  to  a  peculiar  dis- 


128  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

pensation ;  and  in  that  government  he  left  the  con- 
science perfectly  free  from  human  restraints.  Nothing 
was  to  be  punished  as  a  crime  but  by  his  express  com- 
mand ;  nor  restrained  even  from  deviations  from  the 
moral  law,  further  than  he  explicitly  prescribed. 
Christ  and  his  apostles  transferred  no  such  power  to 
magistrates ;  they  taught  obedience,  agreeable  to  the 
law  of  nature,  to  such  magistrates  as  God,  in  his  pro- 
vidence, had  set  over  them ;  and  set  the  example  by 
their  own  practice.  The  convention  durst  not  usurp 
this  authority,  in  imitation  of  Constantine,  Theodosius, 
8cc.  In  doing  so,  they  would  have  rebelled  against  the 
sovereign  Lord  of  all  the  world. 

That  they  established  gross  heresy,  blasphemy,  Sec. 
in  the  constitution,  is  therefore,  false  in  fact.  They 
did  not  dare  to  make  any  exclusive  establishment  of 
religion  by  their  own  authority  ;  therefore,  there  was 
no  place  for  qualified  toleration,  such  as  has  arisen 
from  the  exclusive  establishments  in  Europe.  Mr. 
Wylie's  denomination  is  as  much  established  as  any 
other,  if  they  do  not  disturb  the  public  peace,  or  de- 
fraud their  neighbours  or  the  government  of  their  just 
dues.  Why  then  should  his  eye  be  evil,  because  the 
government  is  good. 

His  dilemma,  of  a  right  to  obey  the  divine  law,  and 
a  right  not  to  obey  it  ;  a  right  to  obey  God,  and  a  right 
net  to  obey  him,  as  given  by  the  constitution,  is.  a  mere 
sophism.  The  constitution  gives  no  rights  respecting  re- 
ligion or  obeying  God  ;  the  convention  had  none  to  give, 
nor  the  power  of  withholding  any  ;  they  were  not  consti- 
tuted nor  authorised  by  any  law  divine  or  human,  to  sit 
as  judges  on  religious  doctrines  or  rights  ;  these  were 
decided  in  the  New  Testament  by  the  inspiration  of 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  129 

the  Holy  Ghost,  three  hundred  years  before  Constan- 
tino and  the  council  of  Nice  sat  in  judgment  on  them, 
and  perverted  the  apostolic  decisions,  and  made  addi- 
to  them.  The  Saviour  and  his  apostles  did  not 
prescribe  death  or  lesser  punishments  against  si:< 
disobeyed  their  infallible  decisions,  as  the  emperors 
2.rul  councils  did  against  those  who  disobeyed  their 
fallible,  and,  in  many  instances,  corrupt  decisions.  Of 
con:-*  Mr.  \Vylic  is  practically  in  unison  with 

i'ors  and  councils,  and  not  with  Christ  u-id  his 

of  liberty    and   right  in  a  more  al 
er,  is  not  necessary  on  this  question,  as  it  relates 
not  to  the  government  of  Pennsylvania,  but  to  the  rights 
and  liberties  which  the  people  retained  in  their  own 
-.,   and  reserved  from  the  power  of   the  govern- 
ment, some  of  which  are  in  their  own  nature  unalien- 
ablc  ;  such  as  the  right  to  which  the  author  so  violently 
objects  ;  a  right,  which,  as  I  have  shewn,  even  a  slave 
retains;  and  a  right,  for  the  retaining  of  which,  all  the 
martyrs  of  Jesus  lost  their  lives,  rather  than  part  with 
it.  Several  of  the  reserved  lights  are  of  a  political  na- 
ture, for  the  security  of  civil  liberty.  Because  the  people 
•,  e   this  unalicnablc  right,  the  author  pronounces 
the    government    immoral)    illegitimate,    £;c.     i-iid    de- 
nounces and  excludes  from  church  communion  such  as 
* 

acknowledge,  or  as  he  expresses  it,  h'jm'jlogatcs  its  au- 
thority, or  gives  any  tcaatra  of  obedience,  even  to  its 
lawful  commands,  Sec.  This  condition  of  Christian  or  so- 
cial communion  is  not  derived  from  the  New  T 
ment.    If  the  government  had  usurped  that  auth 
for  the  want  of  which  he  denounces  it,  it  would  have 
been  justly  blamed  by  all  who  prefer  the  authority  of 


130  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

Christ,  to  the  authority  of  depraved  man.  But  the  au- 
thor is  so  infatuated  with  the  love  of  that  character- 
istic mark  of  the  man  of  sin,  persecution^  that  he  de- 
nounces all  civil  governments  that  have  not  that  mark, 
and  that  do  not  exercise  it  agreeable  to  his  opinion. 
Our  governments  are  necessarily  imperfect,  being  the 
work  of  imperfect  men ;  but  I  sincerely  bless  God  for 
it,  that  they  have  not  usurped  God's  sovereignty  over 
the  conscience,  and  are  not  stained  with  having  or  ex- 
ercising the  dreadful  power  of  persecuting  for  obey- 
ing God,  rather  than  man.  In  this,  the  United  States 
have  set  a  laudable  example  to  other  nations,  and  the 
ministers  of  Christ  are  not  entangled  in  the  affairs  of 
state. 

If,  in  the  constitution,  instead  of  reserving  to  every 
man  the  right  of  worshipping  almighty  God  agreeably 
to  the  dictates  of  his  own  conscience^  it  had  been  ex- 
pressed, that  no  man  should  be  compelled  to  warship  God 
agreeably  to  the  dictates  of  the  consciences  of  any  other 
man  or  body  of  men,  it  would  have  answered  precisely 
the  same  purpose,  and  probably  have  been  less  liable 
to  the  cavils  of  those  that  are  skilful  to  find  fault.  It 
has  been  impressed  on  the  author's  people,  and  he 
boldly,  but  very  absurdly,  asserts  it,  that  the  clause, 
as  it  stands,  makes  conscience  a  law-making  power, 
paramount  to  the  law  of  God.  I  have  shewn  already 
that  conscience  is  not  a  law-making  power,  and  that 
it  exists  only  by  ks  relation  to  the  law  of  God  ;  that 
this  is  its  sole  rule  of  acting,  as  far  as  it  is  known.  The 
people  of  Pennsylvania  have  reserved,  in  this  instance, 
no  further  right  or  liberty  than  that  no  other  man's 
reason  or  judgment,  (viz.  conscience)  shall  have  au- 
thority to  interfere  between  their  own  conscience  and 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  131 

the  authority  of  God,  to  whom  they  are  to  be  account- 
able at  the  last  day.  In  fact,  that  they  shall  not  be 
obliged  to  receive  the  divine  law  agreeable  to  the  con- 
struction of  such  emperors  aud  councils  as  the  au- 
thor, in  unison  with  the  church  of  Rome,  sets  forth 
as  standard  authorities.  The  constitution,  thus  under- 
stood, would  be  objected  to  by  few  who  are  well  dis- 
posed to  receive  the  gospel  as  it  was  revealed.  This, 
,  would  not  satisfy  the  author,  who  considers 
the  constructive  and  sanctioning  power  of  the  magis- 
tracy to  be  essential. 

To  simplify  the  subject  still  further,  the  question 
between  the  author  and  myself  is  not  whether  or  not 
conscience  should  judge  of  and  apply  the  law  of  God 
with  respect  to  religion.  It  is  presumed  that  all  arc 
agreed,  that  the  worship  of  God  should  be  a  conscien- 
tious and  reasonable  service.  Rom.  xii.  1,2.  Tim.  i.  3. 

<1  that  all  true  worshippers  serve  God  with  their 
conscience,  as  the  apostle  Paul  did.  But  the  question 
at  issue  is,  whether  we  shall  worship  God  with  our 
own,  or  with  another  man's  conscience.  The  apostle 

:1  God  with  his  own  conscience,  so  do  all  accepta- 

.  orshippers  ;  this  I  advocate.  The  author  says  no, 
this  is  making  conscience  paramount  to  the  law  of 
S.r..  Wt;  must  serve  God  with  the  consciences 
of  emperors  and  councils,  or  of  the  civil  magistrate, 
in  the  exercise  of  his  ratifying  and  sanctioning  power, 
at  liis  discretion — [See  Sons  of  Oil,  p.  30.]  I  ask  the 
author  if  ever  the  pope  of  Rome,  Mahomet,  or  Hobbes 

\  more  ? 

In  p.  39,  the  author  commences  Ins  attacks  on  the 
federal  constitution,  in  a  manner  that  discovers  his  ig- 
norance of  the  nature  and  object  of  a  federal  govern- 


132  eBSERVATIONS  ON 

ment.  He  says  this  constitution  "  does  not  even  recog- 
nise the  existence  of  a  God,  the  king  of  nations,'*  &c. 
Did  he  seriously  expect  that  a  federal  government 
must  also  have  a  federal  religion,  and  a  federal  creed  ? 
None  of  the  councils  of  Nice,  Chalcedon,  Constance, 
or  Trent,  have  yet  formed  such  a  creed,  nor  pre- 
scribed such  a  religion  as  would  apply  to  such  a  go- 
vernment. 

Federal  government  is  the  result  of  the  union  of 
different  sovereign  states,  not  for  internal  purposes, 
but  as  a  bond  of  union  for  general  defence,  and  foreign 
relations.  They  are  distinct  from  an  alliance,  which 
has  only  a  particular  object  in  view.  The  earliest  ac- 
count we  have  of  confederation,  was  between  Abra- 
ham and  Oner,  Eshcal  and  Mamre,  neighbouring 
chiefs  of  the  Amorites,  viz.  of  the  devoted  nation^. 
When  Abraham  removed  from  thence  to  the  land  of 
the  Philistines,  he  entered  into  a  similar  covenant  with 
the  king  of  Goser,  which  Isaac  renewed,  to  continue 
for  three  generations  ;  they  were  also  of  the  devoted 
nations.  Religion  surely  was  no  article  in  their  instru- 
ment of  union.  These  chiefs  possibly  worshipped  the 
true  God,  but  they  certainly  had  no  part  in  the  Abra- 
hamic  covenant.  Of  the  Lycian  confederation  in  Asia, 
or  the  Etruscan  in  Italy,  we  know  but  little.  Of  the 
Amphicton  and  Achian  confederations  in  Greece,  we 
are  better  informed  ;  but  there  was  no  difference  in  re- 
ligion, they  were  all  worshippers  of  Jupiter,  but  each 
in  his  own  way.  The  want  of  such  confederation  in 
Gaul,  Spain,  Sec.  gave  facility  to  Caesar's  conquests, 
and  brought  these  nations  under  the  Roman  yoke. 
The  Swiss  confederation,  being  nearer  our  own  times 
circumstances,  is  more  to  our  purpose.  The  can- 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  138 

tons  are  eighteen  in  number,  though  they  did  not 
all  confederate  at  one  time,  they  were  all  of  the  Catho- 
lic religion,  as  it  was  handed  down  by  Constantine  and 
Theodosius,  from  the  council  of  Nice.  The  blessed 
reformation  was  introduced  by  Zuinglius,  in  the  canton 
of  Zurich,  which,  supported  by  other  eminent  reform- 
ers, was  received  in  Berne  and  several  other  cantons. 
In  short,  several  cantons  arc  still  Catholics,  and  others 
nearly  equally  divided.  When  Geneva,  the  seat  of  Cal- 
vin and  Beza,  declared  independence  of  their  sovereign 
bishop,  they  put  themselves  under  the  protection  of 
tliis  confederation,  which  enjoyed  the  smiles  of  heaven 
in  the  continuance  of  peace  and  independence  for 
the  greatest  length  of  time  of  any  nation  of  Europe, 
and  with  the  least  expense.  They  have  no  federal  re- 
ligion or  federal  creed. 

This  famous  confederation  the  colonies  took  for 
their  model,  as  far  as  circumstances  would  admit. 
Their  representatives,  under  the  first  confederation, 
were,  from  a  jealousy  of  liberty,  too  limited  in  their 
powers  ;  they  had  the  power  of  peace  and  war— -of  rais- 
ing armies  and  navies,  but  not  of  regulating  commerce, 
nor  raising  money,  except  by  requisitions  on  the  state 
legislatures,  to  which  they  could  not  compel  obe- 
dience. The  national  character  could  not,  in  this  way, 
be  supported.  The  members  were  merely  diplomatic 
characters,  appointed,  instructed,  and  liable  to  be  re- 
called, by  the  state  legislatures. 

A  revision  of  the  confederation  became  necessary; 
by  this  the  powers  were  so  much  enlarged  as  enabled 
them  to  carry  their  former  powers  into  effect ;  the  form 
was  changed  from  one  to  two  branches,  and  an  exccu- 
tire  magistrate  chosen  by  the  people  for  a  short  pe- 
M 


134  OBSERVATIONS  OJf 

riod ;  the"  representatives  in  both  houses  are  also  ap- 
pointed by  the  states  for  a  limited  period ;  but  congress 
still  are  representatives  of  sovereign  states,  who  have 
the  sole  government  of  their  internal  concerns,  both 
civil  and  religious.  Congress  has  no  more  internal 
power  than  is  necessary  to  carry  the  external  powers, 
for  the  public  defence  and  general  welfare,  into  effect. 
No  member  can  be  voted  for  but  by  such  voters  as  are 
qualified,  agreeable  to  the  laws  of  the  respective  states 
which  he  represents.  How  would  the  author  himself 
contrive  a  religion  or  creed,  to  be  sworn  to  by  such  a 
diplomatic  corps,  so  as  to  correspond  with  the  laws  of 
the  respective  states?  I  am  ashamed  of  this  detail; 
every  citizen  does,  or  ought  to  know  it— but  the  au- 
thor says  (p.  76)  the  members  of  their  church  are  most- 
ly aliens ;  for  their  information  I  have  made  this  detail. 
One  qualification,  however,  is  prescribed,  in  which 
all  the  states,  notwithstanding  the  diversity  of  their 
laws  and  opinions,  agree— that  is,  that  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  federal  government  shall  swear,  as  they 
shall  answer  to  God,  to  the  faithful  performance  of 
their  duty.  This  certainly  excludes  atheists.  Several 
of  them  do  so  in  the  English  form,  using  the  bible  in 
the  oath ;  but  many,  probably  most,  with  the  hand 
lifted  up  to  heaven.  And  each  house  of  congress  elect 
a  minister  of  the  gospel  (of  some  protestant  denomina- 
tion) to  open  the  business  by  prayer  every  morning-, 
and  to  preach  the  gospel  to  them  every  Lord's  day. 
This  is  certainly  as  great  a  testimony  in  favour  of  the 
"  existence  of  God  the  king  of  nations,"  and  their  be- 
lief of  the  Christian  religion,  as  it  is  competent  for  such 
a  diplomatic  body,  possessed  of  no  internal  power  but 
for  external  purposes,  to  give.  I  teave  it  to  the  author 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  «»^    135 

himself  to  explain,  how  he  came  to  assert  that  the  fede- 
ral government  did  not  acknowledge  the  being"  of  a  God, 
the  king  of  nations.  I  am  sorry  that  this  is  not  the  only 
misrepresentation  he  has  made  of  the  government 
from  which  he  receives  protection. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Arguments  from  the  law  of  Moses  examined — Sufficiency  of  the 
scriptures  vindicated — The  reformed  churches  considered — 
Toleration  and  establishments — Some  difficulties  examined, 


T. 


HE  author  of  the  manuscript,  after  with  pro- 
priety having  strongly  asserted  the  unchangeable  per- 
fection and  perpetuity  of  the  moral  law,  admits  that 
the  typical  institutions,  which  were  shadows  of  good 
things  to  come,  as  soon  as  the  substance  appeared,  all 
fled  away  ;  but  that  the  moral  law,  including  the  pe- 
nalties of  the  Sinai  covenant,  existeth  still,  and  adds  : 
"  Indeed  a  law  without  a  penalty ,  seems  to  me  to  be  no 
law  at  all,  but  a  mere  directive  thing.  Now  the  reason 
why  the  divine  lawgiver  ordered  every  open  and  ma- 
nifest breach  of  the  divine  law  to  be  punished,  was  be- 
cause it  was  an  open  rebellion  and  sin  against  God." 

Throughout  the  whole  of  the  manuscript,  he  en- 
forces the  principle,  that  the  execution  of  penalties  by 
man,  are  punishment  for  sin  against  God.  This  is  no 
new  principle ;  it  is  the  principle  upon  which  all  the 
persecutions  by  Constantine  and  his  successors,  of  the 
Wickliffites  and  other  witnesses  for  the 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  137 

truths  of  the  gospel  under  popery,  was  founded  ;  and 
for  this  meritorious  work,  the  executioners  of  those 
penalties  were,  in  the  later  period,  rewarded  with  the 
pardon  of  all  the  sins  they  had  committed,  and  some- 
times of  what  they  would  hereafter  commit.  On  this 
principle  Philip  II.  of  Spain,  who  knew  of  no  better 
way  of  expressing  his  gratitude  to  God,  for  obtaining  a 
great  victory,  than  by  applying  to  the  holy  court  of 
inquisition,  who  were  under  his  holiness  the  pope, 
\  vicegerents  for  punishing  sin,  to  grant  him  an 
auto  cle  fe,  viz.  a  certain  number  of  sinners  to  be  burnt 
in  the  flames,  for  .their  sins  against  God.  When  this 
reputedly  holy,  and,  at  least,  zealous  prince,  feasted  his 
eyes  with  their  torments,  and  one  of  them  upbraided 
him  with  his  cruelty,  he  answered,  that  if  his  own  son 
was  guilty  of  such  sin  against  God,  he  would  put  him 
to  death  in  the  same  manner.  The  sin  was  what  they 
called  heresy.  This  was  acting  up  to  the  principles  laid 
tiovrn  by  both  the  authors,  viz.  of  the  Sons  of  Oil  and 
the  manuscript. 

Perhaps,  however,  they  may  object  that  this  zealous 
prince  and  faithful  son  of  the  church,  was  mistaken  in 
the  application  of  the  rule.  This  is  granted.  But  have 
they  any  assurances,  more  than  their  own  self-confi- 
dence, that  they  would  not  also  be  mistaken,  in  exe- 
cuting the  same  principle  ?  Are  they  more  infallible 
than  the  Pope  ?  They  plead  scripture,  and  so  did  he, 
and  acted  on  his  opinion  of  the  scripture,  as  luid  down 
by  the  general  councils  of  the  church — so  do  they. 
This  principle  would  also  apply  well  to  the  Sadducees 
and  mortal  deists,  who  deny  a  future  state  of  rewards 
and  punishments — therefore  sin  ought  to  be  punished 
in  this  world,  least  it  should  escape  altogether. 
M  2 


138  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

In  maintaining  the  penalties  cf  the  Sinai  covenant, 
to  be  a  portion  of  the  moral  law,  they  both  of  them 
overthrow  what  they  have  advanced  in  favour  of  the 
perfection  and  immutability   of  that  law.    For  the  pe- 
;a  cf  the  Sinai  covenant  were  not  from  the  be- 
ginning, nor  for  twenty-five  hundred  years  after  man- 
..d  existed,  and  after  crimes  that 

deserved  punishment  were  in  the  world.  Therefore, 
on  their  own  principles,  it  was  imperfect  all  this  time. 
A  number  of  these  penalties  of  death  were  for  disobe- 
dience to  such  parts  of  the  Sinai  covenant  as  they  ac- 
knowledge is  abolished  ;  such  as  making  a  compound 
of  the  holy  oil,  eating  leavened  bread  at  the  passover, 
not  keeping  some  of  the  solemn  feasts,  Sec.  consequent- 
ly, their  moral  law  has  made  another  change,  and  is 
not  immutable.  The  moral  law  not  only  reaches  to 
overt  acts,  but  to  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart ; 
the  Sinai  covenant  only  reached  the  outward  man ; 
therefore  the  moral  law  of  the  authors  is  imperfect. 
It  was  never  intended  to  be  the  moral  law.  To  use  the 
Saviour's  words,  "  It  was  not  so  from  the  beginning." 

'  Christian  nations  have  carried  penalties  much  fur- 
ther than  the  peculiar  law  of  Moses  did  ;  they  punish 
for  having  more  wives  than  one,  or  keeping  a  concu- 
bine besides  their  wives,  and  declare  the  children  born 
by  the  additional  wives  or  concubines,  illegitimate ; 
and  they  punish  a  married  man,  as  for  adultery,  for 
cohabiting  with  a  single  woman.  They  punish  with  very 
high  penalties,  any  man,  whether  citizen  or  stranger, 
for  introducing  a  slave  into  the  country,  however  ho- 
nestly procured  abroad.  This  was  not  only  tolerated, 
but  authorised,  by  the  judicial  laws.  They  protect 
such  slaves  as  are  in  the  country  equal  to  the  citizens  ? 


THE  TkV'O   SONS   OF  OIL.  139 

and,  except  in  one  state,  punish  the  wilful  killing 
slave  with  death.    I  apprehend,   that  even  the  author 
will  agree  with  me,  that  these  lavs  are  agreeable  to 
the  moral  law,  and  useful  to  enforce  obedience  to  it ; 
and   perhaps  that  some    of    t1  '.es  shou! 

higher  than  they  are.  Now  th~-sc,  and  other  cases  that 

a  be  named,  are  all  different  from,  or  contrary  to, 
the  law  of  Moses.    Are  these   laws  improper,  or  arc 
they  additions  to  the  lav/  of  Moses  ?    If 
tions,  they  are  forbidden  in  that  law,  and  on  their  own 
principles  thoy  ought  to  bo  abandoned. 

of  Moses,  including  its  penalties,  therefore,  is  not 
the  moral,  perfect,  and  unchangeable  law,  equally  ob- 
ligatory on  all  men,  in  all  times  and  circumstances. 

The  peculiar  law  of  Israel,  as  I  have  said,  was  ^ocal 
i.nd  temporary,  calculated  for  a  special  piu*pose,  and 
particular  situation  and  state  «f  the  world.  If  it  had 
pleased  God  to  select  any  portion  of  Sweden,  Den- 
mark, or  Norway,  instead  of  the  very  mild  and  tempe- 
rate climate  and  very  fertile  soil  of  Palestine,  for  the 
theatre  on  which  a  peculiar  law  was  to  have  been  ad- 
mini^^pfl,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  they  would 
have  been  forbidden  to  kindle  a  fire,  or  seek  provi- 
sions on  the  sabbath;  otherwise  they  would  have  been 
in  weekly  danger  of  being  chilled  with  cold  and  pe- 
rishing- \vith  hunger,  in  those  frozen  regions,  where, 
for  a  great  part  of  the  year,  the  sun  only  faintly  g 
mers  on  them  but  for  a  few  ho  'lany 

peculiarities  and  penalties  might  be  mentioned, 
which  could  not  have  been  supported  in  thai  country, 
withoul  much  mure  of  a  constant  miracle  than  in  Pa- 

:C,  where  its  natural  situation,  warmth,  and  fer- 
tility, was  exceedingly  suitable  for  the  purpose.  Th* 


140  OBSERVATIONS  OH 

moral  law  was  equally  suited  to  mankind,  in  every  si- 
tuation and  climate  in  the  world  ;  therefore  the  penal- 
ties and  peculiarities  of  the  Sinai  covenant  were  not 
the  moral  law.  This  is  evident,  from  their  not  exist- 
ing- in  the  time  of  the  patriarchs,  before  or  after  the 
flood  ;  and  from  their  not  being  extended  beyond  the 
symbolically  holy  land,  nor  by  the  apostles  of  Christ 
to  the  Christian  church. 

He  admits  "  that  the  ceremonial  and  typical  insti- 
tutions, which  were  all  shadows  of  good  things  to 
come,  as  soon  as  the  things  themselves  appeared,  the 
shadows  did  all  flee  away  ;  but  the  reasons  of  the  mo- 
ral law,  both  of  its  precepts  and  penalties,  do  still 
exist." 

That  the  reasons  of  the  moral  law,  both  of  its  pre- 
cepts and  its  penalties,  do  still  exist,  is  admitted.  The 
precepts  and  penalties  of  the  moral  law  must  always 
be  the  same,  because  God  is  always  the  same.  He 
will  not  hold  the  breaker  of  the  precepts  of  this  law 
guiltless  at  the  final  judgment ;  he  will  even  in  this 
world  visit  the  iniquities  of  the  fathers  on  the  children  ; 
he  no  doubt  has  often  done  so  ;  he  no  doubt  did  so  in 
the  destruction  of  the  old  world,  and  of  Sodom,  and 
also  of  the  Canaanitish  nations,  with  which  he  had 
borne  long;  he  does  so  in  the  fall  of  empires;  he  has 
done  so  with  the  Asiatic  and  other  churches ;  he  has 
done  so  for  a  long  time  with  the  Jews ;  he  has  often,  in 
his  providence,  done  so  with  monstrously  wicked  men. 
But  this  is  the  prerogative  of  God,  and  not  of  man. 

The  moral  law  of  nature  makes  it  the  duty  of  men 
to  form  civil  societies,  to  provide  for  their  own  secu- 
rity ;  and  when  they  have  done  so,  he  calls  it  his  ordi- 
nance. The  moral  law  of  nature,  written  in  the  heart 


TH*  TWO  SONS  OF   OIL.  Ul 

of  man,  and  revealed  to  him,  makes  it  both  the  duty 
and  intei^st  of  civil  government  to  enact  laws  agreea- 
ble to  the  moral  law,  and  enforce  obedience  to  it.  This 
is  necessary,  for  the  peace  of  society,  that  the  people 
may  lead  quiet  and  peaceable  lives,  in  all  godliness  and 
honesty.  But  it  is  not  their  duty  to  interfere  with 
God's  authority  over  the  reason  and  judgment  of  man, 
in  those  things,  for  which  he  holds  them  solely  account- 
able to  himself.  No  human  penalties  can  punish  pride, 
hypocrisy,  or  want  of  love  to  God  and  our  neighbour. 

In  p.  5.  he  quotes  1  Tim.  i.  9,  16,  to  prove  the  bind- 
ing obligation  of  the  law  of  Moses,  shewing  that  the 
law  is  made  to  punish  transgressors  ;  and  the  apostle 
enumerates  certain  offences  that  ought  to  be  restrained 
by  penal  laws;  but  because  the  catalogue  is  not  full,  he 
adds,  if  there  be  anything  else  contrary  to  sound  doctrine, 
viz.  the  doctrine  of  the  moral  law,  not  the  doctrine  of 
the  peculiar  law  of  Israel ;  for  God  did  not  see  meet, 
in  that  state  of  society,  to  authorise  sinful  judges  to 
punish  their  fellow  sinners,  to  the  extent  which  the 
moral  law  requires.  Whoremongers,  the  first  in  the 
catalogue,  are  much  more  restrained  under  our  laws 
than  under  the  judicial  law ;  but  they  had  the  same 
moral  law  for  the  rule  of  their  conduct  towards  God 
and  their  fellow  men,  that  we  have.  But  it  prescribed 
no  penalties  for  man  to  execute  on  man.  The  Sinai  co- 
venant restrained  Israel  for  wise  purposes,  from  chang- 

or  extending  the  pei. allies  of  it.  Christians  have 
power,  from  the  law  of  their  nature,  to  extend  or 
cliange  the  penalties,  agreeable  to  the  moral  law,  ac- 
cording to  circumstances.  The  moral  reasons  of  pu- 
nishment were  restricted  tc  the  laws  j  they  are  not  so 
to  Christians. 


142  OBSERVATIONS  05f 

The  learned  Scott,  on  this  text,  says,  "  The  moral 
law  was  holy,  just,  and  good,  resulting  from  the  nature 
of  God  and  man,  and  man's  relation  to  him  and  each 
other.  Even  the  ceremonial  law  had  a  relative  good- 
ness for  the  time,  as  typical  of  Christ's  gospel,  and  the 
entire  Mosaic  dispensation  was  good,  as  separating 
Israel  from  other  nations,  affording  them  the  means 
of  grace,  and  introducing  the  Christian  economy  ;  but 
to  enforce  the  Mosaic  law  on  Christians,  or  to  teach . 
them  to  depend  on  their  own  obedience,  for  any  part  of 
their  justification,  was  contrary  to  the  real  meaning  of 
the  law  itself,  and  intention  of  the  lawgiver." 

The  author  admits  that  the  typical  part  of  the  law 
of  Moses  vanished  at  the  appearance  of  the  substances. 
The  apostle  tells  us  of  the  whole  law  being  a  shadow  of 
good  things  to  come,  and  of  a  whole  change  of  the  old 
for  the  new  covenant ;  that  this  happy  change  was  not 
by  their  covenant,  viz.  the  Sinai  covenant. 

What  is  the  law  of  commandments  which  Christ 
abolished  in  his  flesh  ?  certainly  not  the  moral  law  of 
the  ten  commandments  ;  that  can  never  be  abolished. 
It  certainly  must  be  that  law  of.  commandments, 
which,  like  a  middle  wall  of  partition,  kept  Jew  and 
Gentile  separate,  not  only  in  their  worship,  but  in  their 
municipal  laws,  their  eating,  their  clothing,  and  other 
common  concerns  of  life ;  and  this  could  be  no  other 
than  the  peculiar  law  of  Israel,  or  old  covenant,  which 
the  same  apostle  saith,  elsewhere,  was  ready  to  vanish 
away.  Having  perfect  confidence  in  the  prophets  and 
apostles,  I  do  not  suspect  them  of  deceit — of  saying  a 
thing  is  vanished  away,  while  it  is  only  separated  into 
two  parts  : — that  instead  of  the  Sinai  covenant  being 
abolished,  it  is  divided  into  two  Sinai  covenants,  the 


THR  TWO  tONS  OF   OIL.  U3 

one  of  which  is  abolished,  and  the  other  remains  in  full 
force.  If  this  had  been  the  case,  the  prophets  and 
apostles,  being  honest  and  inspired  men,  would  have 
told  us  what  was  taken  away,  and  what  remained.  I 
agree  with  the  apostle  Paul,  that  the  whole  of  the  Si- 
nai covenant  is  abolished,  and  with  Dr.  Witsius,  that 
the  whole  of  it  was  a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come, 
viz.  typical,  and,  as  such,  ceremonial.  If  it  is  not  so, 
it  is  proper  that  these  authors  should  distinctly  tell 
us  what  remains.  It  is  certain,  that  none  of  its  penal- 
ties  of  death  remain,  because  there  are  no  courts  to 
execute  them.  The  priests  and  Levites,  the  sons  of 
Aaron  and  Levi,  were  essential  constituent  judges  of 
the  court  for  life  and  death,  and  it  was  indispensable 
that  those  courts  should  sit  where  Jehovah  gave  his 
oracles  in  the  sanctuary.  There  are  now  no  priests  and 
Levites,  nor  any  local  divine  sanctuary ;  therefore,  no 
such  case  can  be  decided  and  executed  under  that  law. 
It  will  not  do  to  say,  that  other  judges  may  supply 
their  place  ;  for  doing  so,  would  be  expressly  contrary  to 
that  law,  of  which  the  priests  and  Levites  only  possessed 
the  legal  authority  and  records ;  and  whoever  usurp- 
ed  their  station  was  liable  to  the  penalty  of  death. 
Maintaining  this  is  to  give  up  the  law.  Has  the 
Saviour  and  his  apostles  provided  for  this  dilemma  ? 
They  have  not,  in  any  other  way  than  by  abrogating 
the  whole  system,  and  turning  the  attention  of  men 
to  the  moral  law,  as  explained  and  enforced  by  the 
prophets  and  apostles,  divinely  inspired.  It  is  upon 
these  the  Christian  church  is  built. 

But  to  return  to  the  author's  definition  of  the  judi- 
cial law,  viz.  «  That  it  was  that  body  of  laws  given 
for  the  government  of  the  Jews,"  &c.  Now  there 


144  OBSERVATIONS  OX 

no  law  so  closely  connected  with  the  civil  govern- 
ment  of  the  Jews,  as  the  institution  of  the  sabbatical 
years  and  grand  jubilee.  This  was  at  the  foundation  of 
that  republican  institution,  and  secured  republican 
equality,  as  originally  instituted  by  Jehovah.  It  restored 
every  man  to  his  liberty,  to  his  possession,  and  to  his 
family.  With  this  it  does  not  appear  that  the  priests 
and  Levites  had  so  much  concern,  as  in  the  courts  of 
justice,  &c.  yet  it  was  the  grand  regulator  of  the  li- 
berty and  property  of  the  nation.  It  did  not,  however, 
belong  to  the  external  worship  of  God ;  it  was  a  civil 
regulation,  and,  as  such,  belonged  to  the  civil  code.  As 
far  as  appears,  it  might  have  been  continued  and  put 
in  execution  without  priests,  Levites,  or  sacrifices.  It 
was  a  law  so  important  in  the  estimation  of  Jehovah, 
its  author,  that  for  the  breach  of  it,  he  says,  (Jer. 
xxxiv.  17.)  "  Behold  I  proclaim  a  liberty  for  you,  saith 
the  Lord,  to  the  sword,  to  the  pestilence,  and  to  the 
famine  ;  and  I  will  make  you  to  be  removed  into  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  earth." 

That  nation  had  been  devoted  to  desolation  and 
captivity  long  before,  for  the  sins  of  Manasseh,  by  long 
continued  breaches  of  the  whole  law,  moral  as  well  as 
peculiar.  He  made  the  streets  of  Jerusalem  run  with 
innocent  blood  ;  he  did  worse  than  the  heathens  or  the 
Amorites,  Sec.  Yet,  on  repentance,  they  got  a  respite  j 
but  for  this  one  sin,  in  breaking  through  the  funda- 
mental regulations  of  the  jubilee,  they  had  no  respite 
of  the  threatened  execution  of  the  sentence. 

Why  do  not  these  authors  charge  our  government 
with  a  total  neglect  of  this  institution,  which  lay  at  the 
foundation  of  the  civil  economy  of  the  Jews  ?  There 
were  some  other  statutes,  perhaps  not  so  important  in 


rwe  S«HS  OF 

their  own  nature,  yet  equally  important  from  the 
thority  of  the  diriiie  legislator,  such  as  the  commands, 
not  to  tow  their  fields  vith  diver*  seeds— not  to  filomgk 

an  ox  and  an  ass  together— twt  to  reafi  clea- 
the  corners  of  their  fields,  nor  to  return  for  s/uavef  they 
had  lrf(—not  to  glean  or  take  all  the  fruit  from  off 
vineyard— not  to  wear  a  garment  of  linen  and  c»c 
and   to    wear  fringes   on   their  garments — and  several 
other  commands  of  this  nature,  with  which  it  appears 
that  the  priests  had  nothing  to  do,  in  their  official  cha- 
racter ;  therefore,  they  did  not  belong  to  the  worship 
of  God,  which  the  :ded.    The  jubilee 

was  a  civil  institution,  of  a  high  rank;  the  others  were 
agricultural  and  c  institutions;  but  all  of 

:iai  covenant,  and  enjoined  by  Jeho- 
vah. Why  are  these  forgotten  or  overlooked  by  both 
the   authors  ?    It  could  not  be  beca 
daim  ,rior  authority  -ainly  di- 

Is  it  really  the  case  that  thex  ;>  re- 

gard for  the  Sinai  covenant,  further  than  they,  in  their 

opinion,  can  apply  i;  in  favour  of  bur 
hanging,  fining  and  imprisoning.  They  give  up  th 

nial  part,  and  all  the  judici.i.  the  pena 

It  is  indeed  not  probable  they  will  have  this  actually  in 
ut  it  may  console  them,  to  believe,  that 

have  a  right  to  do  it.    It  is  their  part  to  examine 

her  this  disposition  is  agreeable  to  the   spirit  of 

the  gospel,  or  the  practice  of  the  apostles  and  primi- 

rtain,  that  such  as  have  had  the 

power,  and  have  gone  into  the  exercise  of  it  in  the 
gospel  day,  have  discovered  a  want  of  that  spirit  ia 
numerous  instances ;  but  they  hare  been  more  consis- 
tent than  the  authors.  The  Pope  revived  the  grand 

N 


146  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

jubilee,  and  it  brought  a  prodigious  concourse  of  peo- 
ple, and  influx  of  money  to  Rome,  and  other  holy 
places  ;  and  if  it  did  not  restore  men  to  their  estates, 
on  going  through  the  penance  prescribed,  it  set  them 
free,  in  their  own  opinion,  from  the  guilt  of  all  their 
sins.  The  authors  do  not  offer  this  encouragement, 
nor  claim  infallibility. 

As  I  have  found  in  both  the  authors,  something 
like  a  predisposition  to  mistake,  I  will  explain  two  in- 
stances, wherein  I  may  happen  to  be  misundei'stbod. 
The  one  is,  that  by  denying  the  law  of  Moses  to  be 
the  moral  law,  I  depreciate  the  character  of  the  law 
of  Moses.  I  do  not  depreciate  it,  as  a  national  code 
for  a  peculiar  people,  which  it  certainly  was.  This  is 
clearly  stated  in  the  books  of  Moses,  from  their  first 
constitution,  and  in  the  whole  history  of  their  conduct, 
and  God's  dispensations  towards  them,  as  a  peculiar 
nation,  until  the  ends  of  that  peculiar  national  consti- 
tution were  accomplished,  and  the  peculiar  constitu- 
tion itself  abolished  ;  and  those  who  objected  to  this 
abolition,  long  foretold  by  the  prophets,  were  cast  out 
from  being  a  people,  and  dispersed  through  all  nations 
of  the  earth,  as  monuments  of  the  evil  of  rejecting 
God's  counsel  against  themselves.  To  them,  in  their 
national  character,  Moses,  with  great  propriety,  ap- 
peals, Deut.  iv.  9.  "What  nation  is  there  so  great, 
that  hath  statutes  and  judgments,  so  righteous  as  afl 
this  law,  which  I  set  before  you  this  day  ?" 

To  those  acquainted  with  the  state  of  society  in  that 
period  of  the  world,  the  Mosaic  law  will  appear  in- 
comparably superior  to  any  other  national  code  then 
known  in  the  world.  The  restraints  on  agriculture 
and  domestic  usages,  mentioned  above,  were  pr 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL. 

b!y  calculated  and  intended  to  counteract,  and  to  be 
a  standing  testimony  against  superstition,  that  had,  by 
its  baleful  contagion,  enlisted  ploughing  and  sowing, 
food  and  raiment,  in  its  train.  All  who  have  any  know- 
ledge of  the  miseries  brought  on  the  human  family — 
from  the  humane  and  civilized  Hindoo  in  Asia,  to  the 
unpolished  Hottentots  in  the  south  of  Africa ;  and 
from  thence  to  the  savage  Esquimaux  in  North  Ame- 
rica— know  that  more  than  half  the  miseries  felt  by 
them,  is  the  result  of  superstition.  To  prevent  th<* 
reign,  and  to  stop  the  progress  of  this  baneful  off- 
spring of  ignorance,  mistaken  piety,  timidity,  and 
foolish  curiosity,  then  making  progress  in  the  world, 
the  law  of  Moses  was  well  calculated,  and  exceedingly 
necessary.  In  its  municipal  laws,  particularly  with 
respect  to  justice  between  man  and  man,  it  was  not 
only  excellently  adapted  to  the  nature  of  the  govern- 
ment, but  highly  worthy  of  imitation  by  every  govern- 
ment, as  far  as  circumstances  admit. 

The  great  excellence,  however,   consisted   in  the 

frequent  introduction  of  the  precious  maxims  of  the 

moral  law,  of  which  an  apostle  has  said,  that  love  is  the 

:ng  f  the  law.    This  impression  of  the  nature  of 

..ioral  law,  though  more    powerfully  enforced  by 

the  Saviour  and  his  disciples,  was  zealously  inculcat- 

•/  Moses,  either  as  incorporated  in  the   national 

law,  or  accompanying  the  delivery  of  it.    In  the  nine- 

teeiv  of  Leviticus,  called  in  the  context 

f  sundry  tews,  I  find  about  eight  laws  that  are 
peculiar,  and   at  least   double  that  number  thai 
moral,  equally  binding  on  all  men,  in  all  situation 
these  I  will  insert  but  two,  vi/  ••:.  18.  "  Thou 

nor  bear  any  grudge    against   the 


148  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

children  of  this  people  ;  but  thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bour as  thyself.  I  am  the  Lord  ;"  and  that  the  term 
neighbour  is  here  used  in  the  same  sense  in  which 
the  Saviour  explained  it,  in  the  New  Testament,  is 
evident  from  the  following  texts  :  Exod.  xxii.  21.  Lev. 
xix.  34.  and  many  other  texts  in  the  books  of  Moses. 
I  shall  only  quote  Deut.  x.  18.  "  The  Lord  loveth  the 
stranger/'  £<c.  Every  repetition  of  the  fourth  com- 
mandment is  accompanied  with  expressions  of  love  to 
the  stranger,  the  servant,  See.  This  is  the  language  of 
the  moral  law.  The  law  of  love,  proceeding  from  that 
God,  of  whom  an  inspired  apostle  informs  us,  that  "  he 
so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  pe- 
rish, but  have  eternal  life ;"  and  of  whom  the  same 
apostle  tells  us,  in  one  of  his  epistles,  that  "  God  is 
love." 

There  was  undoubtedly  more  of  the  law  of  love, 
viz.  the  moral  law  incorporated  with,  or  accompanying 
the  Israelitish  theocracy,  than  the  political  constitu- 
tion of  any  nation  then  in  the  world.  The  nations  had 
not  then  the  written  word.  But  the  Saviour  himself 
has  testified,  that  in  that  national  constitution,  prescrib- 
ed by  Moses,  certain  deviations  from  the  perfection  of 
the  moral  law  were  tolerated,  out  of  indulgence  to  the 
hardness  of  the  people's  hearts,  for  whom  it  was  made. 
From  this,  I  conclude  that  though  the  moral  law  of 
love  accompanied  the  delivery  of  it,  and  much  of  it 
was  incorporated  in  it ;  yet  considered  as  a  peculiar 
national  constitution,  it  was  not  the  moral  Jaw,  nor  as 
a  national  iav7,  obligatory  on  any  but  that  nation,  and 
onthean  only,  while  they  continued  to  be  a  nation,  and 
acted  in  that  character  within  the  territory  to  which 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  149 

nistration  of  this  national  constitution  was  li- 
.1.   In  short,  I  have,  the  same  opinion  of  it  that  the 
apostle  Paul  had.    lleh.  viii.  7.    "  tt  the  iirst  COY 

not  been  found  fault  with,   no  place  would  have 
been  found  for  the  second."     Compare  this  with  what 
the  same  apostle  has  said,  corresponding  with  the  pro- 
Jeremiah,  with  respect  to  the  old  covenant  being 
abolished,  to  make  way  for  the  new  covenant,  viz.  the 
)cl  dispensation,  accompanied  with  the  perfect  ex- 
ion  and  application  of  the  moral  law  of  love,  not 
only  of  love  to  our  neighbour,  including  the  stranger, 
but  of  love  to  our  enemies,  whom  we  are  bound  to  for- 
give, umkr  the  express  stipulation,    "  that  unless  we 
.  c,  we  shall  not  be  forgiven."  This  explanation,  I 
umc,  will  afford  *T  competent  justification  of  all  I 
have  said  respecting  the  Sinai  covenant,  or  constitution 
rael,  as  a  nation.    I  leave  it  to  the  author  of  the 
:-ianuscript  to  justify  himself,  in  his^harges  of  defec- 
tive morality  against  the  New  Testament,  which  act  of 
sympathy  to  him,  I  have  not  thought  proper  to  quote. 

I  have  said  that  civil  governments  do  not,  and  can- 
not punish  sin,  because  flone  butfthe  heart  searching 
is  a  competent  judge  of  the  demerit  of  sin.  I  be- 
lieve that  the  prerogative  of  searching  the  heart,  and 
of  forgiving  sin,  he  has  not  transferred  to  any  vicege- 
rent. I  must  admit,  however,  that  Pope  Leo,  the  tenth 
of  that  name,  thought  otherwise,  and  sold  the  pardon 
of  sins,  past,  present,  and  to  come,  at  a  pretty  cheap 
rate.  A  pragmatical  fellow,  however,  named  Martin 
Luther^  interrupted  the  sale.  I  ask  row  u  Lto  X.  who 
had  the  power  to  pardon  all  sins,  hud  rot  also  the  power 
to  inflict  an  adequate  punishment  for  all  sins?  This,  I 
presume,  must  be  admitted,  on  the  principle  oi  analo- 
N  2 


150  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

gy ;  and  on  this  ground,  after  endeavours  used  toWfe- 
claim  him,  Luther  was  given  to  the  devil,  by  the  Pope. 

If  this  is  so,  I  ask,  if  hanging,  burning,  imprison- 
ing, fining,  and  tortures,  if  they  please,  will,  in  the  opi- 
iHon  of  the  authors,  be  an  adequate  punishment  for  the 
sins  which  the  culprits  have  committed  ?  If  the  pu- 
nishment, to  which  they  consign  them,  is  an  adequate 
punishment  for  their  sin,  it  is  well.  If  not,  what  does 
it  amount  to  ?  Nothing,  because  a  punishment  of  sin 
against  God,  if  not  necessary  to  protect  society,  only 
gratifies  the  bad  passions  of  those  that  put  themselves 
in  God's  stead. 

Lest  I  should  not  be  understood  ;  by  «//,  I  mean  an 
act  against  the  laws  of  God — a  violation  of  the  laws  of 
religion,  or,  as  it  is  otherwise  defined,  any  want  of  con- 
formity to,  or  transgression  of,  the  law  of  God.  By 
crimcj  I  mean  a  transgression  of  the  criminal  laws  of 
the  state,  proper  to  be  brought  before  a  court  of  crimi- 
nal jurisdiction.  In  this  sense  it  is  used,  not  only  in 
common  law,  but  in  scripture.  Job.  xxxi.  11.  "  This 
is  a  heinous  crime,  yea  it  is  an  iniquity  to  be  punished 
by  the  judges,'3  Ezek.  vii.  23.  «  For  the  land  is  full  of 
bloody  crimes."  Actsxxv.  J6.  "  Have  his  accusers  face 
to  face,  and  he  have  lic£nse  to  answer  for  himself,  con- 
cerning the  crime  laid  against  him/3  &cc. 

The  term  crime  is  probably  sometimes  applied  im- 
properly in  common  usage.  It  does  not  apply  to  what 
is  called  civil  injuries,  or  wrongs  between  man  and 
man  ;  it  does  not  apply  to  any  thing  that  only  subjects 
a  person  to  the  censures  of  the  church.  The  church 
lias  no  power  to  decide  on  crimes;  their  censures  only 
extend  to  what  in  the  New  Testament  is  called  of- 
fences. Rom.  xyi.  17.  "I  beseech  you  to  mark  them 


THE  1  WO  SONS  OF  OIL.  151 

fffch  cause  offences,"  Sec.  The  terms  stumbling  and 
offend,  used  in  the  New  Testament,  (I  John  ii.  10.  and 
Mat.  xiii.  41)  are  translated  in  the  margin,  and  by  coin- 

.:ators,  scandal.    By   the  Presbyterian   church   of 
Scotland,  this  term  has  been  usually  applied   to  such 
:,    by    their   discipline,    subjected   to 
church  censure.  On  this  subject  the  learned  Durham, 
one  of  the  greatest  ornaments  of  that  church,  wrote 
•,-lebrated  treatise  on  scandal.  Church  judicatures 
have  nothing  to  do  with  offences,  considered  as  crimes, 
agaii  but  as  sins  against  God,  or  scandals 

to  religion  ;    they  have  no  authority  to  punish  crimes, 
but  to  bring  offenders  to  repentance.     A  crime  is  not 
only  a  fault,  but  *.great  fault  j  it  is  not  a  private  inju- 
ry, which  affects  an  individual  only,  but  such  as  afi 
the  public  in  general ;  therefore,  belongs  to  what,  in 

land,  are  called  the  pleas  of  the  crown.  A  crime  is 
a  violation  of  public  rights,  such  as  trcasony  murder, 
and  rbkbay.  Conviction  of  crime  renders  the  person 
sous,  and  disqualifies  him  from  public  confidence. 
Every  crime  committed  by  a  professor  of  religion,  is 
also  a  scandal  to  religion,  but  every  offence  or  scandal, 
which  may  offend  our  brethren,  and  subject  the  per- 
son to  reproof  or  admonition,  can  only  be  figuratively 
called  so  ;  it  does  not  render  the  person  infamous^ 
and  ought  not  to  be  classed  with  such  as  ilo  so  ;  for  it 
has  a  tendency  to  discourage  offenders  from  submit- 
ting to  church  censures,  when  they  cannot,  in  t 
confess  themselves  to  be  criminal,  or  infamous.  This 
may  be  considered  aa  a  digression,  but  I  trust  not  un- 
useful. 

Under  the  peculiar  constitution  of  Israel,  as  a  na- 
tion, Jehcvah  -,var,  not  only  their  God,  in  c  re- 


152  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

lation  in  which  he  stood  to  all  the  families  of  the  earth, 
but  he  was  also  the  immediate  and  peculiar  king  of 
Israel,  as  a  nation.  In  that  character,  every  offence 
committed  against  the  peculiar  laws  of  the  national 
covenant,  or  constitution,  was  not  only  an  offence,  or 
crime  against  these  laws,  but  a  sin  against  Jehovah, 
their  king.  This  national  law  did  not  forbid  all  of- 
fences against  the  moral  law,  nor  authorise  the  courts 
to  punish  all  the  infractions  of  those  laws,  which  were 
forbidden  in  the  Jewish  law  ;  very  many  of  them  have 
no  penalty  annexed,  to  be  executed  by  man.  All  trans- 
gressions of,  or  want  of  conformity  to  the  moral  law, 
even  though  not  prohibited  in  the  national  law,  were 
sins,  for  which  sinners  must  account  to  God  at  the 
final  judgment.  In  that  solemn  and  general  decision, 
there  will  be  no  respect  of  persons  or  nations — no  dif- 
ference between  Jew  and.  Gentile.  Sins  and  the  aggra- 
vations of  them,  will  be  weighed  in  an  even  balance, 
and  all  will  be  condemned  who  have  not  fled  for  refuge 
to  the  Mediator,  according  to  the  gospel. 

If  "  a  law  without  a  penalty,  to  be  executed  by  man, 
is  no  law  at  all,  but  a  mere  directive  thing/*  as  the  au- 
thor of  the  manuscript  maintains,  he  may  easily  cor- 
rect this  mistake  by  looking  into  the  Sinai  covenant* 
which  he  maintains  to  be  still  binding  on  Christians. 
In  Exod.  chap.  xxi.  xxii,  and  xxiii.  which  contain  the 
principal  precepts  or  rules  for  the  courts  of  justice, 
and  in  that  sense  their  judicial,  or  rather  juridical 
laws ;  these  were  in  the  twenty-fourth  chapter  wrote 
in  a  book,  and  deposited  with  the  priests  and  Levites, 
who  were  afterwards  constituted  the  permanent  and 
official  judges  of  these  courts.  He  will  there  find  more 
than  twenty  cases  forbidden  or  commanded,  without 
any  penalty  annexed  to  be  executed  by  man.  He  may, 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OiL  1$3 

indeed,  call  these  mere  directive  thing's.  If  so,  let  him 
look  a  little  further.  (Lev.  chap,  vii.)  He  will  find 
many  other  statutes  in  that  book  which  have  no  penal- 
ties annexed,  that  the  judges  are  authorised  to 
cute.  In  some  cases  of  disobedience,  it  is  said  they  witt 
be  cut  off  from  their  fieoflte  ;  but  where  no  authority 
was  given  to  the  judges,  God  reserved  the  execution 
in  his  own  hand,  of  which  he  s^on  gave  an  example 
in  the  case  of  Nadab  and  Abihu,  and  afterwards  in  the 
ease  of  Korah,  &c.  The  issue  lies  between  the 
author  of  the  manuscript  and  Moses,  who  says  they 
are  la\vs.  The  author  says  they  are  mere  directive 
things.  I  had  always  thought  a  law  was  a  rule  of  action 
prescribed  by  competent  authority,  and  that  its  obli- 
gation arose  from  the  authority  of  the  legislator;  and 
that  penalties  were  merely  incidental,  to  enforce  the 
execution  of  the  law,  but  added  nothing  to  its  moral 
obligation  ;  it  appears  Moses  was  of  the  same  opinion. 
The  law  of  the  commandments  prescribes  no  penalties 
to  be  executed  by  man  ;  are  those  commandments, 

reforr,  no  laws,  but  mere  dirccave  things? 

The  author  of  the  Sons  of  Oil  not  only  introduces 
divine  laws,  aa  repealed  and  r.iii.igated>  on  which  I 
have  already  made  remarks,  but  he  adds,  "  Where 
the  laws  are  silent  or  indefinite,  with  respect  to  par- 
ticular crimes,  and  the  punishment  thereto  annexed, 
great  discretion  and  prudence  will  be  necessary,"  Sec. 

I  am  no  where  in  the  Bible  informed  of  the  repeal 
of  any  law  of  God.  The  Saviour,  who  only  had  power 
to  do  so,  repealed  none.  In  the  question  of  di. 
&c.  he  declared  what  the  moral  law  of  nature  was  from 
the  beginning}  and  informed  the  people  that  Moses,  in 
giving  the  peculiar  law  to  Israel,  had  given  this  .' 


154  OBSERVATIONS    ©N 

gence/or  the  hardness  of  their  hearts.  He,  in  every  in- 
stance, explained  the  moral  law  in  its  greatest  purity, 
and  applied  it  to  the  conscience.  The  delivery  of  a 
compend  of  this  most  perfect  law  preceded  the  na- 
tional law  to  Israel ;  the  one  was  a  rule  of  conduct, 
as  they  should  answer  to  God;  the  other  a  rule  of  con- 
duct, as  they  should  answer  to  the  civil  magistrate. 
The  Saviour  did  not  abridge,  nor  enlarge,  the  power 
of  the  magistrate ;  but  he  explained  and  applied  the 
moral  law  to  the  conscience. 

He  not  only  sent  the  leper  to  the  priest,  to  offer 
for  his  cleansing,  according  to  the  law  of  Moses,  but  a 
few  days  before  he  was  crucified,  he  told  his  hearers, 
"The  Scribes  and  Pharisees  sit  in  Moses*  seat;  all, 
therefore,  whatsoever  they  bid  you  observe,  that  ob- 
serve and  do  ;  but  do  not  after  their  works,  for  they 
say  and  do  not." 

Nothing  can  be  more  plain  than  this  direction,  to 
attend  to  the  law,  without  regarding  the  character  of 
the  officer  who  administers  it,  if  they  are  legally  pos- 
sessed of  the  office  ;  and  that  the  national  law  of  Mo- 
ses continued  without  repeal  or  mitigation  till  the  great 
antitype  had  fulfilled  all  righteousness,  including  obe- 
dience to  the  symbolical  law,  and  having,  on  the  cross, 
fulfilled  all  its  requirements,  said  "  It  is  finished." 
This  was  the  end  and  fulfilment  of  that  law,  not  its  re- 
peal, like  the  repeal  of  the  laws  of  short-sighted 
mortals. 

Who,  before  the  author,  ever  thought  of  a  silent, 
or  indefinite  law  of  the  ?nosi  high  God  ?  I  am  at  a  loss 
to  decide  whether  this  sentence  exhibits  most  of  absur- 
dity, prophaneness,  blasphemy,  or  nonsense.  To  say 
that  a  law  is  silent,  is  nonse»se.  Silence  is  a  negative  ; 


THE  TWO   SONS  OF  $IL.  155 

it  is  the  reverse  of  law.  The  definition  of  law  is,  a  rule 
of  action,  established  by  competent  authority,  and  pub- 
licly known  ;  against  such  only  can  a  crime  be  com- 
mitted. This  definition  is  agreeable  both  to  scripture 
and  common  sense  ;  as  sin  in  scripture  is  the  trans- 
gression of  a  known  law,  so  is  crime  with  respect  to 
municipal  laws.  How  then  can  a  crime  possibly  be 
committed  against  a  silent,  or  unknown  law  ? 

The  term  indefinite  is  commonly  used  in  two  senses. 
The  first  is,  not  determined  ;  not  limited  ;  not  settled. 
The  second  is,  large  beyond  the  comfirehcnaion  of  man , 
though  not  absolutely  infinite,  or  without  limits.  Such 
is  the  number  of  the  stars,  or  of  the  sands  on  the  sea 
shore.  Does  the  author  really  ascribe  this  character  to 
the  laws  of  a  just  and  a  holy  God  ?  Does  he  assert  that 
his  laws,  for  the  breach  of  which  he  authorises  punish- 
ment, are  in  their  own  nature  not  settled  or  determined, 
or  that  they  are  incomprehensible  and  undefinable  ? 
He  certainly  docs  ;  and  by  so  doing,  depreciates  the 
laws  of  God  below  the  standard  of  the  heathen  oracles. 
They  were  dubious,  indeed,  but  not  indefinite  ;  they 
required  good  guessing.  The  king  of  Lydia  was  in- 
formed  by  the  oracle,  which  he  consulted,  that  if  he 
went  to  war  with  Persia,  he  would  destroy  a  great  na- 
tion ;  he  wished,  and  therefore  hoped  and  believed, 
that  the  oracle  meaned  that  he  would  destroy  Persia  ; 
but  the  oracle,  as  explained  by  the  event,  meant  that 
Persia  would  destroy  Lydia.  The  responses  of  those 
oracles  were,  no  doubt,  the  result  of  deep  cunning,  but 
the  construction  given  to  them  was  on  the  same  prin- 
ciple on  which  the  reverend  author  of  the  Sons  of  Oil 
and  the  author  of  the  manuscript,  construe  the  oracle 
<tf  God.  They  form  a  system,  founded  on  certain  first 


156  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

principles,  framed  by  their  own  imagination,  contrary 
to  which,  they  persuade  themselves,  it  would  be  in- 
consistent for  the  divine  character  to  act  ;  and  they 
practically  say  unto  Jehovah,  hitherto  shalt  thou  come 
and  no  further ;  just  as  he  set  bounds  to  the  overflow- 
ing ofthe  ocean,  and  just  as  the  Jews  did  in  order  to 
justify  them  in  rejecting  the  counsel  of  God  against 
themselves. 

In  the  seventh  chapter  of  John,  we  find  no  less  than 
five  self-created  barriers  that  they  had  erected  against 
their  own  happiness.  In  the  first  ten  verses  they  ob- 
ject to  Christ's  doing  miracles  in  secret,  viz.  in  Galli- 
lee  and  such  remote  places,  because  if  he  was  the 
Messiah,  he  ought  to  be  known  openly,  not  giving 
credit  to  the  prophecy  of  his  character,  viz.  that  the 
Saviour  would  not  cry  nor  lift  up  his  voice,  8cc.  Others 
concluded  he  could  not  be  the  Messiah,  because  he 
never  had  human  learning.  Others,  more  than  half 
convinced  that  he  v/as  the  Christ,  yet  it  being  a  first 
principle  or  maxim  with  them,  that  when  Christ  came, 
no  man  would  know  from  whence  he  was,  but  they 
both  knew  him,  and  from  whence  he  was — therefore 
rejected  him,  notwithstanding  the  most  incontestible 
proofs  of  his  divine  mission.  A  little  further  on,  in  the 
same  chapter,  he  came  out  of  Galliiee,  and  not  out  of 
Bethlehem,  therefore  they  shut  their  eyes  against  the 
clearest  evidence.  And  a  little  further  still,  he  was  re- 
jected by  the  rulers,  because  that  those  who  approved  of 
the  Saviour  had  not  studied  the  law  of  Moses,  accord- 
ing to  the  rules  then  rescribed ;  they  had  not  studied 
at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  nor  been  dignified  with  a  di- 
ploma. Nathaniel,  the  Israelite  without  guile,  was  en- 
in  the  same  manner,  but  did  not,  like  the 


TUT.  TWO  soxs  or  OIL. 

ion  ;  Inn 

he  at  first  adhered  to  his  max"  ,j,,ir 

could  come  out  ol 

evidence,  uud    he  rejected    l;is    own    p; 

Probably  I  would  not  have  introduced  these  ohscr- 

iiad  it  not  been,    t'iat   when  I   was  i 
with  first  principles,  maxims  and  prepc-  ,  ini- 

>etl  by  respectable  authority,  ami  nuch 

i hat  for   some  time  I  tuiv  a  kind   of 

•{amininir   their   solidity.    I  was,   in  part, 
by  the    diviii  ;;  di- 

';ig  me  in  deliberately  cxaminin;. 
-,th  chapter  of  John,  and  the  case  of  Nathaniel.    I 
<-d  that  we  are  very  apt  to  make  the 

•s  are  entangled,  and   i 

,  relinquished  my  t  <;ntulence  in  max- 

U  1   havi  •[)  all 

first  principles  ;  il  i*  still  a  first  principle  with  me,  to 

OQ   scripture  ,v    in 

the  most  plain,  simple,  and  ob\  »e  in  which  it 

is    revealed,    unless    it   is    so   clearly   fi^ur-uvc,  that 

taking  it  literally  would  be  evidently  absurd;   and   I 

am,  •  .  ,  the  longer  tiie  more 

coir.  ».  in  this  way   only  there  is  safety  ;    that 

departing  from  this  nil  Tree  of  all  the 

•:>erstitioi:.  anny 

:oa,  by  which  th<-  ii^ion  has 

^•Oiiuine  principles  pei  \ 

Com- 
mentator 

It  is  no  ii'  -,  in  church  history,  to  find 

proclaiming  the  law  of  God  a  xclu- 

O 


OBSERVATIONS  ON 


sive  rule,  with  regard  to  religion  ;  and  this  being  a 
Aery  simple  proposition,  enlisting  and  arming  fire, 
sword,  tortures  and  lesser  punishments,  according  to 
their  discretion,  against  others  who  not  only  make  the 
same  professions,  but  practice  more  conformably  to 
them.  This  might  be  demonstrated  by  facts,  both  in 
cariier  and  later  times.  The  church  of  Rome  professes 
to  rest  solely  on  the  scriptures,  but  proves  from  scrip- 
ture, as  she  believes,  the  right  of  giving  the  true  sense 
or  interpretation  of  it,  and  the  authority  of  tradition, 
to  which  all  must  conform  under  the  penalty  of  death. 
The  reformation  took  its  rise  from  a  free  enquiry,  by 
every  man  for  himself;  the  preachers  (sometimes  and 
not  amiss,  called  the  apostles  of  ihz  reformation)  ad- 
dressed every  man's  reason  and  judgment,  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  gospel  was  offered  by  Christ  and 
his  apostles.  In  this  way  the  gospel  church  was  plant- 
ed and  spread  abroad  through  the  nations,  and  conti- 
nued in  purity  until  the  ministers  of  reli.--lon,  in  tlieir 
councils,  assumed  a  legislative  authority  in  the  church 
of  Christ,  towards  the  close  of  the  second  century. 
From  this  time,  the  -  right  of  private  judgment  was 
restrained,  but  so  /.  as  to  give  little  alarm; 

for  it  WP.S  i't   that  the  enemy  sowed :   but 

in  proportion  as  this  claim  was  extended,  superstition, 
error,  and  corruption  of  every  kind  overspread  the 
church,  until  the  grand  apostacy,  foretold  by  the  apos- 
tles, was  consummated.  When  the  clergy  first  assum- 
ed a  legislative  authority  in  the  church  of  Christ,  they 
exercised  it  with  prudence,  and  professed  to  derive 
that  authority  from  the  scriptures,  as  the  church  of 
Rome  still  has  done,  and  as  Dr.  Mosheim,  treating  of 
the  second  century,  says,  "  The  Christian  doctors  had 


THE   TWO    SONS  OF   OIL. 

the  good  fortune  to  persuade  the  people,  thai  the  mi- 

f  the  Christian  church  succeeded  t-> 
racier,  rirhts  and  privileges  of  the  Jewish  priesthood  ; 
and  this  persuasion  was  a  new  source,  both  of  honour 
and  prolit  to  the  sacred  order.  This  notion  was  pi 
cuted  with  industry,   some   time    after    the    reign    of 
Adrian,  when  the  second  destruction  of  Jerusalem  ex- 
tinguished all  hopes  among  the  Jews  of  seeing  their 
government   restored  to  its  former  lustre,  and  their 
country  arising  out  of  its  ruins.    And  accordingly,  the 
>ps  considered  the,  s  invested  with  a  rank 

and  char.  •  .lilar   to   those   of  the  *///§•/;   firieste 

among  the  Jews,  while  the  presbyters  represented  the 
dignity  of  the  jiriests,  and  the  deacons  that  of  the  Le- 
vites." 

This  is  the  first  instance  I  find  on  record,  of  divid- 
ing the  1  into  two  codes,  viz.  ceremonial 
and  judicial — The  precepts  for  external  worship  of  God 
prescribed  in  the  Sinai  covenant — and  tho.se  for  the 
peculiar  civil  government  of  the  Jews.  This  last  they 
gave  up,  but  the  former.  But  though  they 

!  orders  of  the 
ndccl  it  to   the  public   woi 
led  and  disfigured  with  Jewish  ; 

:i  bishop  of  eminent  talents  and 
dear  of  the  superstition  of  his  time, 
it  ui.ticr  which  the  Jews  formerly  g: 
iore  tolerable  than  that  imposed  upon  chris- 
lians  in  his  time,"    viz.  the  fourth  century  ;    to 
enormity  it  afterwards  grew  under  this  usurped  \ 
lative  authority  of  the  Lurch  history  records. 

It  was  not  r,  till  the  clergy  united  with  the 

civil  magistrate,  in   the  administration  of  Christ's  le- 


OBSERVATIONS   ON 


gislative  authority  over  his  own  house,  that  the  judi- 
cial or  civil  part  of  the  Sinai  covenant  was  enlisted  in 
*he  cause.  The  penalty  of  death  and  lesser  punish- 
ments, were  necessary  to  support  this  usurped  autho- 
rity, and  consequently  applied,  not  only  to  such  here- 
tics as  perverted  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  but  against 
such  persons  as  testified  in  any  manner  against  the 
legislative  authority  usurped  from  the  church's  head. 
Historians  testify,  that  many  did  make  efforts  to  stem 
the  torrent  of  apostacy,  without  success. 

After  the  doctrine  of  the  reformation  had  been 
successfully  addressed  to  the  reason  and  judgment  of 
individuals,  so  as  to  make  a  progress  similar,  in  some 
good  measure,  to  what  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  at 
first  had  done  ;  —  princes,  under  the  profession  of  be- 
ing protectors  of  the  reformed  churches,  became  its 
legislators,  and  the  clergy  generally  supported  them, 
and  those  who  did  not,  were  subjected  to  actual  per- 
secution ;  and  thus,  instead  of  union,  divisions  were 
promoted.  Instances  of  those  who  held  the  truth  of  the 
Christian  religion,  being  persecuted  by  those  who  held 
the  same  fundamental  truths,  for  not  submitting  to 
human  and  fallible  authority  in  matters  of  worship,  in 
aTesser  or  greater  degree,  are  to  be  found  in  the  his- 
tories of  all  the  protestant  national  churches.  The 
churches  of  Britain  produced  strong  examples  of  this 

sort. 

This  application  of  the  law  of  Moses  to  Christians, 
both  in  the  time  of  Constantine,  and  since  the  refor- 
mation, is  wholly  founded  in  mistake.  I  have  before 
stated,  that  the  Sinai  covenant  provided  no  legislative 
power  to  be  exercised  by  man.  Under  that  economy, 
the  priests  were  the  official  repositories  of  the  laws, 


1GI 

flitted,   I' 

klty  U>  tV  W  the   /. 

" 

not  to  ma kc  additi  -.isequently,  though  we 

find   I  i,    that  thf  f;c^/.i<-  ivrre   not 

(jbcdi.nt    to    /n.'i    law — That    tiinj    that    hcndlc   tfn1  taiy 

—  That  th  •   d  in 

God 

—  T  '<>  the  lav.'.  Sec.  they  no 

aid  not  make  laws   for  re- 

foniuiLion,   or  for  punisl-.iii^   oliVncfS.     Their  sin,   for 

•re  punished,  wns  for  the  non-cxccntioii 

or  u  -'on  of  the  law  of  Moses.     The  prophet 

.lie  Old   Testament   system  of  pro- 

ibcr  the  law  of  Moses,  my. 

Jit,  which  I  commanded  him  in  Koreb  for  all 
Israel,  with  the  statutes  aod  judgments" — and  also  by 
bringing  into  view  the  coming  of  the  M> 

.,;!.  But  neither  he,  nor  an]  i>rophrts, 

calls   their  attention  to  th'e    hr.vs    of  their   reforming 

kings,  judges,  or  governors,  because  they  could  make 

no  such  laws,  bein^  n.  ,h  the  execu^ 

tion  of  the  law  of  .*•  ;ut  the  prophets,  from  Mo- 

.ivc,  frccjii-jiitly  introduce   the  Messiah  as   a 

-  to  uhom  the  pointedr 

and  «  '.->  iiAroducc  a  nev/  covenant,  or  dibpen- 

sation  of  it,  on  other  principles. 

It  may  he  objected,  that  my  arguments  against  po- 
litical c!v.  i  against;.  e  of  the  power,  but 

if.    That   ail   civil  govern- 
ment •  en  abused;  yet,    iv.tvith- 
stanuing  this,  all  g                 -.its  are  not  to  be  rejected. 
o  2 


162 


OBSEHTATIOXS  ON 


I  answer,  thai  all  civil  governments  among  men 
are  founded  on  the  moral  lav/  of  nature,  resulting  from 
^thc  will  of  God ;  that  his  reasonable  and  accountable 
creatures  ought  to  pursue  their  own  happiness ;  but 
the  kingdom  of  Christ  not  being  derived  from  this 
source,  is  founded  solely  on  divine  revelation — all  its 
vules  and  authority  are  drawn  from  that  divine  source. 

The  moral  law  of  nature  obliges  all  men,  in  all 
stations  of  life,  to  pay  respect  in  those  stations  to  di- 
vine revelation,  but  does  not  authorise  them  to  usurp 
t'.ny  official  authority  that  he  has  not  transferred  to 
them.  Civil  magistrates  are  not  enumerated  among  the 
officers  of  Christ's  kingdom,  (which  is  not  of  this 
v/orld,)  prescribed  in  the  New  Testament;  therefore 
they  have  no  authority  in  or  over  it.  Every  attempt  to 
exercise  such  authority,  is  usurpation  on  what  is 
•withheld  from  them.  I  may,  however,  with  propriety  be 
asked,  if  these  political  churches  are  not  the  church  of 
Christ,  where  shall  the  church  of  Christ  be  found 
since  the  reformation  ? 

I  will  answer,  as  near  as  I  can  recollect  it,  in  the 
language  of  a  much  greater  man  on  this  subject  than 
myself;  I  mean  the  very  learned  bishop  Benjamin 
Hoadly,  of  the  established  church  of  England:  "The 
rhurch  of  Christ,"  says  that  great  divine,  "is  to  be 
•1  in  the  established  church  of  England,  and  in 
other  Christian  denominations,  which  she  excludes 
Vnm  her  communion,  or  who  refuse  to  join  in  it ;  that 
;.]{  who  believe 'in  Christ  and  worship  him  according 
to  his  word,  by  whatever  name  they  are  called,  are 
his  church."  I  will  apply  this  principle  to  all  other 
political  churches  ;  I  will  apply  it  to  the  Javians  and 
Vigilenlians,  who,  in  the  fourth  century,  were  ex- 


THE   TWO   SON'S   OF  OIL.  163 

eluded  from  the  first  political  Christian  church.    I  bo- 

tlu-y  belonged  to  the  church  of  Christ.   I  be! 
tin  ir  [K-rsc-( Mitr.rs,  St.  Ambrose,  St.  Jerome,  &c.  whose 
memories  christians  generally  revere,  were  also  mem- 
bers of  the   church  of  Christ,  though  they  persecuted 
his  fait  hi':  >t  -s.    I  believe  that    while  the  Wal- 

denses,  &cc.  were  persecuted,  there  were  many  of  the 
church  of  Christ  in  the  church  of  Rome.  I  believe  that 
the  great  WickliiTe  of  England,  whose  corpse  was 
'1  and  insulted  after  he  was  dead,  and  his  disci- 
ples, John  Huss,  and  Jerome  of  Prague,  who  loved 
not  their  lives  unto  the  death  for  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
and  many  others,  who  never  had  separated  from  the 
church  of  Rome,  were  members  of  the  church  t>f 
Christ.  I  believe  that  Luther  was  such  before  he  dis- 
owned the  Pope's  authority,  even  when  he  obeyed 
that  church  in  attending  the  council  ;  but  after  he  was 
informed  of  the  Pope's  bull  of  excommunication  be^- 
ing  issued  against  him,  t'  <  cuted  at  a  given 

d?.y,    he  was  as   much   a   ii.ember   of    the   church  of 
-t,  as   he  was  th  r  he   with   solemnity 

burned  the  Pope's  bull.  I  believe  that  the  ministry  of 
I.v.ther,  and  his  coadjutors  and  disciples,  was  valid; 
and  I  believe  the  same  of  Calvin  and  his  disciples, 
notwithstanding  that  they  received  their  ordination, 
or,  in  the  language  of  that  church,  consecration,  : 
the  church  of  Rome.  Luther,  however,  deserves  to  be 
respectfully  remembered  for  being  the  first  who  de- 
clared a  separation  from,  and  disowned  the  authority 
of,  that  apostate  church,  of  which  he  had  been  a  minis- 
ter, and  instituted  a  separate  communion,  in  defiance 
of  anathemas  of  more  than  a  thousand  years  standing, 
against  schism,  as  if  it  had  been  an  unpardonable  sin. 


164  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

We  know  the  Waldenses,  Sec.  were  im:ler  many  mis- 
takes, yet  they  were  the  church  of  Christ  in  the  wil- 
derness. They,  as  well  as  other  witnesses,  testified 
against  the  corruptions  of  that  church,  hut  not  against 
the  church  itself;  they  plead  with  their  mother.  John 
Huss  and  Jerome  of  Prague  were  attending  the  coun- 
cil of  Constance,  convened  by  the  Pope  and  emperor, 
•when  they  became  martyrs.  Luther  narrowly  escaped 
from  his  attendance  at  the  diet  of  Worms,  whose  sum- 
mons he  had  obeyed,  contrary  to  the  advice  of  his 
friends. 

The  most  important  manifestation  of  the  covenant 
of  grace,  after  the  first  discovery  thereof  to  our  first 
parents,  in  their  fallen  and  ruined  state,  seems  to  be 
the  promise  to  Abraham.  More  special  promises  were 
then  made  than  had  Iwen  theretofore,  and  more  pecu- 
liar duties  enjoined — he  was  to  be  a  sojourner  in  a 
strange  land,  £cc.  External  promises  were  given  him 
respecting -the  multitude  and  power  to  which  his  seed 
should  arrive,  &c.  but  these  were  only  typical  of  the 
spiritual  promises  which  contained  the  substance  of 
the  covenant  of  grace,  by  which  he  was  constituted 
"the  Father  of  all  them  that  believe."  Rom.  iv.  16. — 
and  from  which  all  believers,  of  all  nations,  are  ac- 
counted the  children  of  faithful  Abraham,  to  whom  it 
was  promised,  that  in  him  and  in  uis  seed,  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  should  be  blessed — Gal.  iii.  6—8. 
This  is  frequently  called  the  covenant  of  circumcision, 
because  this  rite  cr  sacrament,  was  the  sign  and  seal 
of  it.  It  was  not,  Lowe .  er.  applied  or  bidding  on  Mel- 
chizedec,  or  any  ether  believers  of  that  day;  but  the 
household  and  seed  of  Abrnham,  not  the  promised 
seed  only,  viz.  Isaac,,  but  on  all  his  seed.  Though  it  is 


THE   TWO   SON'S   OF   OIL.  165 

not  founded  on  the  law  of  Moses,  yet  it  was  incorpo- 

in  it.  L-vit.  xii.  3.    Therefore  the  S  '-aysj 

John  ion 

(not  In-cause  ;  »;it  of  the  fVith«  'i^h 

•lined  in  the  law  of   Moses,  yet  the 

•ru-.t,  of  \\iiich  it  was  the  seal,  was  totally  distinct 
from  tin-  E  i-nanl.  The  apostle,  reasoning  ».;n  the 

.ity  and  rtticacy    of  the  covenant  with  Abr  iham, 
A.  iii.   17.  "And  this   I  say,  that  the  co- 

Mt  tr.ut  was  confirmed  before  of  Christ,  the  law 
that  was  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  after,  cannot 
disannul  it  that  it  should  make  the  promise  of  none 
effect."  Thus  the  apostle  puts  the  covenant  with 
Abraham  in  direct  contrast  with  the  Sinai  covenant. 
The  first  he  says  cannot  be  disannulled.  This  is  admit- 
ting that  the  other  is  to  be  disannulled,  bf  which  he 
elsewhere  snys,  it  is  disannulled,  vanished  and  abolish' 
fd.  While  this  covenant  was  wholly  abrogated,  the 
Abrahamic  covenant  only  underwent  a  change  of  the 
initiating  rites.  Baptism  was  substituted  for  circum- 

u,  kc.  The  believing  Jews  were  exceedingly  op- 

I  to  this  change,  as  well  as  the  abolition  of  the 
law  of  Moses  respecting  meat  and  drink,  Sec.  They  did 
not  claim  the  continuance  of  the  passover,  the  sacrifi- 
cial worship,  the  Aaronic  priesthood,  nor  the  penal- 
ties of  the  Sinai  covenant.  Their  attachment  to  the 
law  of  Moses  was  strong  ;  it  was  a  divine  law,  given 
•with  the  greatest  solemnity,  by  the  most  high  (iod. 

It  pleased  God,  out  of  condescension  to  th«ir  weak- 
ness, to  tolerate  the  believing  Jews  to  usesu< 
vancesof  the  law  of  Moses,  as  were  not  wholly  ii.< 
sistent  with  the  gospel  of  Christ ;   not  only  so,  but  to 
give  them  an  authoritative  toleratiou  for  these  ob 


166  ftBSERVATIOKS  ON 

vances.  Acts  xv.  19 — 29.  But  though  they  were  thus 
officially  tolerated  in  these  things,  the  apostles  never 
ceased  to  preach  against  them,  as  may  be  seen  in  all 
Paul's  epistles.  He  combated  error  with  instruction, 
the  only  means  instituted  by  God  for  that  purpose.  He 
reproved  and  admonished,  but  did  not  exclude  them 
from  the  communion  of  the  church.  This  was  not  an 
error  of  little  importance,  for  the  Judaizing  Christian 
taught,  that  except  they  be  circumcised  they  cannot 
be  saved.  Acts  xv.  1.  The  apostle,  on  the  other  hand, 
taught,  that  if  they  were  circumcised  (viz.  trusted  in  it) 
Christ  shall  firojit  you  nothing.  "  For  I  testify  again  to 
every  man  that  is  circumcised,  that  he  is  a  debtor  to 
do  the  whole  law."  Gal.  v.  23. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  the  legal  application  of  cir- 
cumcision, for  justification,  was  the  most  perni- 
cious part  of  the  error ;  but  this  was  not  peculiar  to 
them.  Christians  to  this  day  make  a  legal  application 
of  the  moral  law  for  justification  before  God  ;  not  only 
so,  but  even  some  Christian  sects  turn  the  gospel  into 
a  new  law,  through  obedience  to  which,  they  expect  to 
be  justified  ;  but  neither  the  moral  law  nor  the  gospel 
can  be,  therefore,  abolished,  because  they  arc  misun- 
derstood or  misused.  The  apostle  did  not  require  those 
that  were  called  in  circumcision  to  renounce  it,  but  he 
constantly  protested  against  continuing  the  practice. 
Titus,  who  was  with  him,  being  a  Greek)  wan  compelled 
to  be  circumcised,  and  he  tsok  and  circtimcised  Timothy, 
(who  was  also  a  Greek  by  his  father)  because  of  the 
Jews,  who  were  in  these  quarters.  Acts  xvi.  iii.  These 
instances  discover  indeed  a  high  degree  of  toleralion 
and  sympathy  towards  weak  and  erring  brethren.  For 
these,  and  probably  many  others,  who  were  thus  com- 


TV70   SONS  OF  OIL.  167 

pelK  circumcised,  out   of  accommodation  to 

the  \>  ifl  of  the  Jews,  were  Gentiles,  there- 

out of  I  of   permission    granted  by  the 

le»  i-.nd  t  »iivened  at  Jerusalem.  Itis'evi- 

•  as  admitted  after  that  de- 
cree The  apostle  in  so  doing,  was 
guided  \).  i  it  of  Christ.  This  is  no  doubt  put 
on  sacred  record  to  shew  the  condescending  patience 
of  God.  Our  Su\  iour,  who  waits  to  be  gracious  to 

..g  men,  and  bears  long  ^itli  their  errors,  and 
continued  long  with  them  the  means  of  instruction, 
the  appointed  corrective  of  civor  before  he  casts 
them  off. — He  bore  with  the  unbelieving  Jews,  and 

inued  the  means  of  instruction,  not  without  its 
influence.  His  prayer  for  torgivcress  was  no  doubt 

u  in  behalf  of  many  of  his  betrayers  :md  murder- 
Paul  himself  was  a  violent  pei  till  some 
years   after  the   Saviour's  ascension;   bu_    wln.n 
became   obdurate   in   rejecting  the   conns*- 1    oi    ••' 

;:st  themselves,  they   were    given  up  to  that 
cmpiary  destruction  which  the  Saviour,  in  the  most 

ting  manner  had  foretold,  and  of  which  Moses, 
many  centuries  before,  had  prophesied ;  yet  he  conti- 
nued to  bear  with  the  obstinate  prepossessions  of  the 
believing  JCAVS, -who  continued  their  attachment  in  fa- 
parts  of  the  law  of 
a  divine  law,  and,  as  such,  delivered  to  the  f ; 

•loricd.  Without  considering  that  all  its 
objects  were  accomplished,  and  its  requirements  ful- 
filled, they  gradually,  but  slowly  indeed,  relinqui 
this  attachment,  alter  their  temple,  their  place  and  na- 
tion, as  to  them,  were  no  more.  It  was  not  till  the  second 
great  dispersion  of  the  Jens,  in  the  reign  of  the  emperor 


165  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

Adrian,  that  the  great  body  of  the  believing-  Jews  coa- 
lesced fully  with  the  Christians  from  among  the  Gen- 
tiles, in  the  abolition  of  the  middle  wall  of  partition, 
\vhich  had,  by  divine  authority,  been  abolished  more 
than  one  hundred  years  before.  A  small  remnant,  who 
took  to  themselves  the  name  of  Nazarines,  separated. 
Unfortunately,  those  who  united  with  the  Gentile 
churches,  contributed  to  introduce  the  abolished  hier- 
archy, and  rites  of  the  Jewish,  into  the  Christian 
church,  as  I  have  before  stated. 

I  conclude  this  part  of  the  subject  with  only  re- 
marking, that  the  apostle,  in  asserting,  by  divine  au- 
thority, that  by  being  circumcised,  they  became  debt- 
ors to  fulfil  the  whole  law  of  Moses,  strongly  confirms 
what  I  have  before  stated  from  scripture,  that  the  law 
of  Moses,  viz.  the  national  law,  or  code  of  laws,  con- 
sisting of  many  subordinate  laws,  which  is  always  ne- 
cessary to  form,  a  national  system  of  laws,  called  by 
moderns  a  constitution  of  civil  government,  viz.  that 
the  nation  must  either  submit  to  the  whole,  or  to  no 
part  of  it.  This  is  evidently  the  declaration  of  the  pro- 
phets and  apostles,  with  respect  to  the  old  and  new  co- 
venants, viz.  the  gospel  dispensation  of  the  covenant 
of  grace,  and  the  symbolical  covenant  with  Israel,  as  a 
political  and  symbolical  nation.  That  in  this  my  opi- 
nion is  correct,  is  evident,  if  the  apostle  is  correct ;  and 
I  wish  no  better  authority. 

The  United  States,  notwithstanding  the  denuncia- 
tions against  their  constitutions,  by  both  the  authors, 
precisely  followed  this  divine  example,  when  in  pur- 
suance of  their  own  happiness,  not  consistent  with  the 
equal  happiness  of  their  fellow  men,  they  declared 
themselves  an  independent  nation.  They,  by  that  very 


TMB  TWO  SONS  OJ  16* 

act  declared  all  laws  derived  from  the  former  govern- 
ment void.  So  many  of  them  were  revived,  by  special 
acts  of  the  stale  legislatures,  as  they  thought  proper ; 
but  none  of  them  by  authority  of  the  old  government. 
This  is  denied  by  the  author  of  the  manuscript.  I  am 
sorry  for  the  confusion  of  his  ideas  on  this  question. 
He  has  been  an  officer  of  the  state  government.  lie 
knows  the  laws ;  let  him  examine  them,  particularly 
such  as  were  enacted  at  the  commencement  of  inde- 
pendence. They  will  answer  for  me.  Let  hLn  read  the 
revising  act  ;  till  then  there  was  no  law  in  the  states, 
but  order  was  preserved  by  committees  throughout 
the  states,  acting  on  their  moral  discretion,  agreeable 
to  the  law  of  nature.  In  this  manner  they  prepared 
the  way  for  a  convention,*  with  full  power  to  give  a 
constitutional  establishment  to  a  state  legislature.  In 
this  manner  ail  the  thirteen  provinces  became  sove- 
reign and  independent  states.  These  state  legislatures 
agreed  to  articles  of  confederation,  by  v.'hich  they 
transferred  certain  general  powers  to  a  congress, 
composed  of  delegates  from  the  respective  states.  A 
congress  had  been  appointed  before  that  time,  by  pro- 
vincial committees,  or  legislatures,  acting  in  that  cha- 
racter, for  which  the  king  dissolved  the  legislatures. 
That  congress,  however,  having  no  legal  authority, 
could  Jo  nothing  but  advise  ;  but  their  advices  were 
treated  with  great  respect.  Thus  being  reduced  to  a 
stat;i  of  nature,  by  the  king  declaring  them  out  of 
his  protection  and  dissolving  their  legislatures,  in 
pursuit  of  their  own  !>„  .  th^y,  agreeably  to  the 

moral  law  of  nature,  viz.  the  will  of  God  expressed  in 
that  law,   formed  civil  society  for  the  preservation  of 
order  and  protection ;  and  being  thus  formed  agrcea- 
P 


170  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

blc  to  the  law. of  nature,  the  only  law  which  they  then 
acknowledged,  they  proceeded  to  institute  civil,  viz. 
political  society  ;  that  is  to  say,  to  organize  civil  go- 
vernment. This  proceeding  being  agreeable  to  the 
will  of  God,  expressed  in  the  law  of  nature,  is  the 
ordinance  of  God,  agreeable  to  the  apostle  Paul,  and 
being  organized  by  man,  is  the  ordinance  of  man., 
agreeable  to  the  apostle  Peter,  (See  Rom.  xiii.  1.  and 
1  Peter  ii.  13.)  therefore  entitled  to  obedience  for 
conscience  sake.  A  paragraph  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wy- 
lie,  however,  declares  them  to  be  immoral  and  illegi- 
timate— that  is  to  say,  bastard  governments,  whos* 
authority  ought  not  to  be  obeyed ;  and  compares  pay- 
ing taxes  to  them,  to  compounding  with  a  robber.  As 
this  will  be  examined  in  another  place,  I  will  con- 
clude here  with  observing,  that  in  all  my  acquaintance 
with  the  organization  of  civil  governments,  I  know  of 
none  that  in  every  respect  originated  in  a  way  so 
agreeable  to  the  law  cf  our  nature  and  reason.  I 
know  of  none  wherein  the  voice  of  the  citizens,  of  all 
ranks,  had  so 'much  weight,  as  in  the  forming  their 
constitutions,  by  which  the  people  have  transferred  so 
few  of  their  natural  rights,  or  in  which  those  they 
have  retained,  are  so  equally  and  so  effectually  se- 
cured. 

As  far  as  I  have  observed,  the  author  of  the  ma- 
nuscript does  not  go  all  lengths  with  the  author 
of  the  Sons  of  Oil,  in  disowning  the  legal  au- 
thority of  the  civil  government;  but  they  agree  in 
censuring  it  very  severely,  on  account  of  the  protec- 
tion it  affords  to  the  citizens  in  the  exercise  of  their 
truly  unalienable  right  of  worshipping  God  agreeable 
to  the  discovery  of  his  will  t#  their  own  reason  and 


on..  171 

judgment,  as  ;  mint-able  to  him  in  the 

day  of  judgment.  y,  by  a  Mran^v  n.i^ta1.- 

-.:a?rc,  call  tolfi-zr,-  5  might  have 

known,  and  it  is  strange  that  they  did  not  know,  thar 
rin  toleration,  in  religious  matters,  among  chris- 
tians,  originated  from  political  religious  establish- 
ments, introduced  with  other  conceptions  of  Christi- 
anity, and  too  soon  adopted,  and  too  eagcily  pursuecV 
after  the  reformation  by  protestant  states,  while  they 

,  in  obedience  to  rules  of  worship  prescribed  by 
ui  authority.    They  had  formerly  groaned  under 
.crciscd  by  the  Pope  and  councils  of  the 
-.thood,  convened  first  by  the  authority  of  the  em- 
perors, and  afterwards  by  the  Pope,  approved  by  the 
«mperors.    These,  however,  claimed  to  possess  infal- 
libility,  and   the  immediate   inspiration   of  the   Holy 
Ghost,  though  they  sometimes  disputed  whether 
precious  arcanum 

ror    Phocas, 
i'Oiiiface,  ai.d 

the  councils  having  ac  i'the 

L  of  the 
Holy  <  •  ac- 

knov.-U:d;.;cd    him    to    1  .;•  I   on 

b,  the  dihpufj,  lo  ail  p:  act- 

iled.     With  those    whc  .  be   tlic 

at  of  Christ  01  iore 

p    of  Peter,   and    i  ;ible 

•    of  truth,  it  •  ctly  consistent  to  worship 

and  a /cording  to  his  dictates.    Uut  after  the 

1   thi'ougli  the  ir-iiuciicc  of 
ti'uti  -  Conner   to   the  ixason  and 


OBSERVATIONS   ON 

judgment  of  men,  as  the  gospel  had  been  by  the 
apostles,  princes,  as  I  have  before  stated,  assumed 
the  power  of  the  Pope,  as  the  judge  of  truth,  not  to 
the  whole  church,  but  to  their  own  subjects,  and  en- 
forced their  decisions  with  respect  to  doctrine  and 
worship  with  civil  penalties,  in  the  same  manner  as 
they  did  the  municipal  laws.  Consequently,  Europe 
produced  at  one  period  above  twenty  Popes,  includ- 
ing the  free  and  sovereign  cantons  and  cities,  as  well 
as  the  sovereign  kings,  princes  and  dukes^  who  acted 
equal  to  the  Pope  of  Rome  in  deckling  definitively  on 
religions  truth.  But  neglecting  to  assume  infallibility, 
and  claim  divine  inspiration,  such  of  their  subjects  as 
thought  it  the^r  duty  U>  judge  for  themselves,  in  mat- 
ters for  which  they  were  accountable  to  /God  only, 
could  JK-:  ]y  on  such  decisions,  not  sup- 

s  the  Popes  were  believed  to  be  by  his  vota- 
ries, by  the  immediate  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost; 
these  dissented  from  the  political  standard  of  truth,  or 
attempted  to  explain  it,  so  as,  in  their  judgment,  to 
render  it  more  agreeable  to  the  scriptures,  which  they 
believed  were  really  given  by  the  inspiration  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  For  this,  as  I  have  stated  before,  they 
were  persecuted  with  greater  or  less  severity  in  the 
dominions  of  these  diminutive  Popes,  until  they  gra- 
dually became  convinced,  that  the  establishment  of 
the  worship  of  their  idol  of  uniformity,  could  not  be 
supported ;  that  it  either  made  hypocrites,  or  excited 
their  subjects  to  oppose  it ;  and,  in  short,  that  they 
were  not  God's  vicegerents  to  judge  of,  or  punish  sin 
against  himself.  Reluctant,  however,  to  give  up  the 
hold  they  had  on  the  consciences  of  men,  by  their  self- 
interest,  they  retained  the  rewards  of  hypocrisy  in  their 


THE   TWO   SONS   OF    OIL.  173 


own  hands.     They  made    laws    to   t'-l>rafe 
from  the  politically  established  religion, 

,  to  certain  disabilities  and  privations,  while  thoso 
who  adhered  to  the  established  religion,  not  only  en- 
joyed the  clerical  livings,  bui  an  extensive  preference 
of  civil  privileges.  Can  the  Rv-v.  Mr.  Wylic,  a  native 
of  Britain,  where  he  received  a  liberal  education,  be 
ignorant  of  the  toleration  act  of  William  and  Mary, 
which  gave  no  positive  privilege  to  dissenters  from 
the  national  religion,  but  only  provided  for  exempting 
thei.  stant  subjects,  dissenting  from 

the  church  of  England,  from  the  penalties  of  certain 

commonly  called  the  toleration  act. 
On  the  whole,  religious  establishments,  by  civil 
authority  and  toleration,  arc  relative  terms,  as  much 
as  parent  and  child.  Political  establishments  are  the 
parents  of  political  toleration.  There  is,  however, 
this  difference  :  An  establishment  may  exist  without 
toleration,  and  did  so  for  many  ages,  till,  by  its  bane- 
ful influence,  darkness  covered  the  earth,  and  gross 
darkness  the  people.  It  was  the  beast  or  dragon  of 
the  Rerehttions,  which  banished  the  woman  into  the 
wilderness,  and  made  war  with  the  remnant  of  her 
seed,  and  still  continues  the  war,  though  with  less 
power.  I  am  the  more  astonished  at  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Wylie  charging  the  United  S  ;ih  toleration, 

that  I  know  it  is  not  the  opinion  of  all  his  brethren. 
The  late  Rev.  Mr.  King,  a  member  of  the  same  Pres- 
bytery, being  asked  in  my  hearing,  by  some  of  his 
people,  (who,  from  ignorance,  objected  to  the  constitu- 
tion of  Pennsylvania,  as  gr  toleration,)  if  that 

was  the  ground  for  objecting  to  the  constitution,   an- 
swered candidly,  thai  it  was  not,  because  it  gave  n» 
p  2 


174 


OBSERVATIONS   ON 


toleration  ;    that    having  no   religious   establishment, 
there  could  be  no  toleration  to  depart  from  what  did 
not  exist;    that  his  objection  was,  that  it  equally  pro- 
tected all  religious  denominations.    This. is  admitted. 
It  provides  for  the  protection  of  all  who  lead  a  quiet 
and  peaceable  life  in    godliness  and  honesty.    1  Tim. 
ii.  2 — "  And  who  study,  as  much  as  in  them  Heth,  to 
live  peaceably  with  all   men."    Rom.  xii.  18.  Which 
the  apostle,  in  these  and  other  texts,"  has  considered 
to  be  the  great  end  of  civil   government  to  promote, 
and  undoubtedly  the  principal  object  of  its  institution. 
That  it  may  answer  this  purpose,   the  legislature  of 
PciUisylvania  has  enacted  laws  for  the  suppression  of 
vice    and   \  .-i morality »  as  already  mentioned,  and  for 
punishing  not  only  the  grosser  crimes,  but  all  breach- 
es of  the  peace,  slander,  Sec.  therefore  it  has  provided 
uivvfi  for  all  the  great  purposes  of  civil  government ; 
and  by  the  constitution,  it  has  power  to  add,  or  more 
caicieiitly   to  enforce  them.    It  has,   by    the   constitu- 
tion, and  by  the  law  of  nature,   power  to  provide  for 
its  own  security,  by  punishing  those  who  slander  the 
govettiment  itself,  or  excite  opposition  to  its  legal  au- 
thority.    No  government  on  earth  can  be  more  justi- 
fiable in  doing  so,  than  that  of  Pennsylvania.    It  lias  no 
power  to  interfere  with,  or  punish  for,  any  thing  that 
solely  lies  between  a  rn-an's  reason  and  judgment,  and 
his  God,  and  of  whi'-h  God  is  the  only  infallible  judge. 
Though  this  doctrine  may  indeed  be,  disagreeable  to 
iiie  great  and  little  Popes  of  Europe,  because  it  tends 
to   disrobe  them   of  their  fancied  godhead,   and   also 
disagreeable  to  both   the  authors,   whose  arguments 
and  manner  of  expression  testify  their  opinion  of  their 
own  infallibility,    in  as  high  a  tone   as  the   Popes  of 


TWO   SOXS   Of   OIL.  175 

Rome  have   formerly  done,  but  not  so  terrific,    ' 
denunciations  against  their  neighbour?,   and  the  go- 
tncnt  from  which  ive  protection,  arc  not 

supported  by  the  (lames  of  the  inquisition,  the  gallows, 
the  torturing  boots  and  thumb  screws  of  Scotland,  nor 
the  fines  and  imp;  and.  They  thcm- 

ticrto  protected  in  promoting  sedition  and 
persecution,  and  charging  their  neighbours,  and  < 
the  government,  with   that   blasphemy  and    atheism 

which  themselves  alone  arc  liable  to  be  char;. 
but  I  do  not  charge   them  with  it,  because  I    believe 
they  did  not  nean  so.    Of  this  God  is  the  only  compc- 

:;d  rightful  ju 

The  author  of  the  manuscript,  viz.  Obsen'ations  on 
or  occupying  sixteen  folio  pages  in  ad- 
vocating the  perpetual  obligation  of  the  national  law  of 
Isra;  ihcr  combats  those  whom 

he  calls  tolerants — a  new  name,  indeed,  for  a  religious 
I  understand    i;,  o  include  not  one 

particular  sect,  but  ail  sects  who  are  not  intolerants  ; 
who  believe  .  that  they  have  no  authority  to 

:iiic  or  imprison  other  men  for  not  believ- 
ing as  they  do,  in  questions  that  they  think  belon 

ion.   People  think  differently  about  the  question, 
religiw  cGniaf  ?    The   Russians  thought 
i  of  ii  consisted  in  wearing  very  long  coats  and 
their  beards  unshared,  and  considered  Peter  the  . 

-.ccutor,  because  he  made  them  cut  their  coats 

short   and  shave  their  beards.    This  some  may   think 

ridiculous;  but  it  is  not  more  so  than  flying  to  caves 

rts,   idolizing  the   dead  bones   of    supposed 

;  holiness  to  consist  in  a  single  life, 

and  bodily  macerations,  kc.  which  was  in  high  repute 


176  OBSERVATIONS    ON 

among  Christians,  not  only  in  the  fourth,  but  even  s* 
early  as  the  third  century,  and  patronized  by  the 
greatest  divines  of  that  period.  It  was  in  the  fourth 
century,  that  a  still  more  pernicious  principle  became 
a  part  of  religion,  viz.  "  That  error  in  religion,  when 
maintained  and  adhered  to,  after  firo/ier  admonition, 
were  jiunishable  with  death"  This  is  the  'principle  for 
which  both  the  authors  are  ^ealous  advocates,  and 
they  make  their  own  judgment  of  the  scripture  the 
rule.  It  was  very  necessary  at  that  period,  for  there 
were  then  a  Javian,  a  Vigilentius,  and  many  others, 
who  testified  against  the  rapid  progress  of  supersti- 
tion, and  having  scripture  and  reason  clearly  on  their 
side,  the  then  church  not  having  recourse  to  these 
arms,  the  only  arms  used  by  the  apostles  and  primi- 
tive Christians  (2  Cor.  x.  4.  Eph.  vi.  13 — 16)  by  the 
use  of  which  the  Christian  church  was  planted  and  de- 
fended at  the  first,  temporal  punishments  became  a 
necessary  substitute  for  its  defence.  I  believe,  with  the 
apostles,  the  reformers,  and  the  most  celebrated  mo- 
dern divines,  among  whom  I  name  the  great  Dr.  Owen, 
that  scripture  is  always  sufficient  to  overturn  error. 
That  divine  demonstrates,  that  those  arms  were  al- 
ways successful,  until  the  church,  and  afterwards 
church  and  state,  usurped  a  legislative  authority  in 
the  church  of  Christ.  That  the  spiritual  armour  would 
still  have  been  so,  if  other  armour  had  not  been  re- 
sorted to. 

It  is  an  established  principle  in  criminal  laws,  that 
they  cannot  be  applied  by  implication,  or  by  example* 
or  by  necessary  consequence,  agreeable  to  the  author's 
rules  of  construction.  This  gives  too  great  latitude  to 
judges.  It  made  aad  work  in  England,  where  the  most 


is  or  OIL.  177 

:ousmen  went  to  the  block  for  treason,  in  the  ty- 
ical  reigns   of  Ilnny  VIII.    and  of  the  Sti, 
;,  had  judges  to  their  mind,  ;ged  from  ne- 

ary  consequences  in  their   opinion,  and  from  ex- 
a-..,;>les.    Tliis,  in  fact,  m:  judges  legislators. 

Criminal  lav\  s  must  he  applied  and  executed  agrceahle 
to  the  express  letter  and  plain  meaning  of  the  law  in 
Israel ;  and  where  the  case  was  doubtful,  recourse  was 
had  to  God,  as  their  peculiar  king.  This  was  done 
in  several  instances  by  Moses  in  the  wilderness,  by- 
Joshua,  in  the  case  of  Achan,  Etc.  In  other  cases,  with 
respect  to  which  God,  as  king  of  Israel,  did  not  think 
proper  to  entrust  man  to  execute  his  judgments  for 
disobeying  his  laws,  he  reserved  the  execution  in  his 
own  hand,  and  a^,  >  he  thought  proper. 

Tiie  '  author  of  the  Sons  of  Oil,  however, 

considers  these  peculiar  national  laws  as  equally 
binding  on  all  mankind  at  all  times,  or  at  least  on  all 
Christians  ;  and  not  only  so,  but  that  they  authorize  a 
discretionary  power,  and  something  which  he  calls  mi- 
tigated and  siic?:t  laws,  of  which  I  have  spoken  al- 
h,  as  they  arc  not  known  to  other:;, 
he  is,  no  doubt,  the  repository.  The  author  of 
the  manuscript  has  expressly  .i,  as  I  have 

cd   before,  that   "the  laws  v.iples  of  the 

Jewish  church  and  nation,  in  the  Oid  Testament,  that 
are  i,  -led  in  th«  pre- 

cept,  approven    examples,    or    by    necessar 

;-e  still  binding,"  as  lie  a(V  ,  on 

all    Christian  nations.    Thus  the 

though   ' 
•>  the  am'. 
and  titent  laws,   and  the  OL.  ul  construe- 


17  *feSKRVATlOXft   r.yj 

tion  that  would  make  them  whatever  his  imagination 
would  suggest.  There  would  be  just,  as  many  opi- 
nions of  the  application  of  examples,  and  of  the  vari- 
ous real  or  supposed  necessary  consequences,  as  there 
would  be  of  imaginations  and  prepossessions.  Neither 
the  laws  of  God,  nor  any  wise  laws  of  man,  ever  subject- 
ed the  lives,  liberty,  and  property  of  men  to  such  ca- 
price, much  less  their  consciences. 

If  the  scripture  foundation  of  the  legislative  au- 
thority, and  infallibility  of  the  church  of  Rome  is  un- 
sound, where  will  the  authors  and  other  advocates,  of 
human  legislatures,  in  and  over  protestant  churches, 
find  a  scripture  foundation  to  rest  upon  ?  Not  on  the 
law  of  Moses,  because  the  operation  and  administra- 
tion was  intended  for,  and  applied  only  to  a  peculiar 
people  and  precisely  described  territory,  and  the  im- 
mediate superintendancc  of  God,  as  before  stated; 
and  with  relation  to  that  peculiar  people  and  territory, 
it  waxed  old  and  vanished  a\vay,  agreeably  to  divine 
appointment.  This  is  abundantly  testified,  both  by  the 
prophets  and  apostles.  If  this  covenant  and  its  laws 
were  of  general  application,  as  plead  by  the  author.-, 
I  demand  proof  of  it,  from  the  authority  of  the  pro- 
phets and  apostles.  This  they  have  not  given,  and 
cannot  give.  They  make  a  general  application  of  it 
on  their  own  authority  only,  contrary  to  the  testimony 
of  the  prophets  and  apostles  themselves,  on  whose 
testimony,  under  Christ  himself,  the  Christian  church 
is  built. 

The  author  of  the  manuscript  says  (p.  23)  "  I  do 
not  know  that  any  allege,  that  civil  or  national  esta- 
blishments, of  even  the  true  religion,  was  necessary  to 
the  growth  and  irtcpease  of  the  church,  but  only  to  her 


TWO  SONS  OF   OIL.  179 

,'Tvation  and  security  against  her  enemies.    It  is 

ssary  to  prevent  the  %\ 

.'.ng  her  a  proy,"  kc.    This  principle  the  rev- 
author  admits.    All  the  abettors  and  .vipportcrs  of  hu- 
man legislation,  in  and  over  the  church  of  Christ,  also 
admit  it.    In  this  complc;  ion  with 

the  church  of  Rome-,  who  fuliy  admit  it.  It  is  a  com- 
mon cause,  in  which  they  are  cquuliy  interested 
though  they  seem  on  the  greatest  extremes,  and  op- 
pose each  other  with  the  most  ardent  zeal,  yet  in 
this,  and  other  fundamental  principles,  they  harmo- 
•nnot  do  otherwise.  They  agree  substan- 
tially, though  they  differ  in  words,  that  the  Media- 
tor was  deficient  in  wisr.!cm  to  plan,  or  in  power  to 
procure  such  offices  and  officers  as  were  necessary  to 
the  planting,  the  growth,  or  increase  of  his  church, 
or  that  he  had  not  power  to  employ  kings  or  other  hu- 
o  make  laws  ibr  his  church,  or  to 
send  forth  booted  and  spurred  apostles  to  make  pro- 
selytes of  the  Gentiles,  \\iih  fire  and  sword,  as  was  af- 
terwards done,  insu  ad  of  humble  fishermen,  equipped 
with  only  spiritual  armour,  and  H"il:orised  only  to  make 
converts,  by  means  of  the  sincere  n.-ik  of  the  word. 
I  agree  with  both  the  authors,  anu  even  with  the  Pope, 

ver  much  I  am  opposed  to  papery,  that  human 
c    authority  was  ;.  to  the   plants 

growth,  or  increase  of  R  church  in  its 

;;y,    i.or   for  -r,    while   the 

Christians  had  to  endure  heathen  persecution,  and 
were  accounted  us  the  offscourings  of  all  things,  bjr 
the  reputed  wise,  and  by  the  mighty.  I  believe  fur- 
ther, that  it  is  not  necessary  ibr  th  :  vation  of 
the  truth  of  the  gospel. 


180  OBSERVATIONS    ON 

A  serious  question,  however,  arises  from  the  above, 
It  is  this  :  If  civil  establishments  of  religion,  viz.  a  hu- 
man legislative  authority,  in  and  over  the  church  of 
Christ,  was  not  necessary  for  its  growth  and  increase, 
in  its  infant  state,  when  all  the  powers  of  hell  and 
earth  were  combined  against  it,  how  or  when  did  it 
become  necessary  ?  Was  it  when  the  majority  of  the 
Roman  empire,  then  called  the  world,  had  received 
it,  and  professed  to  be  in  its  favour,  and  when  the  most 
despotic  and  powerful  emperors  found  it  to  be  their 
interest  to  embrace  it  ?  Again,  if  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles, authorised  and  directed  by  his  spirit,  really  foresaw 
the  necessity  of  such  offices,  such  officers,  and  such 
laws  in  his  church,  how  did  it  happen  that  they  were  so 
short-sighted  or  inattentive,  as  not  to  give  warning 
of  it,  and  provide  rules  suited  to  the  occasion  ?  It  is 
necessary  that  these  questions  should  be  answered  by 
those  who  advocate  the  change  of  Christ's  kingdom, 
respecting  which  he  gave  his  dying  testimony,  that  it 
ivas  not  of  this  world  ;  but  who,  contrary  to  this  testi- 
mony, boldly  declare  that  it  is  of  this  world,  and  sub- 
ject to  human  authority,  in  matters  of  faith  and  wor- 
ship. It  becomes  the  advocates  of  civil  or  ecclesias- 
tic government,  or  any  human  authority,  assuming 
Christ's  headship  over  his  own  house,  whether  they 
be  advocates  of  the  Roman  or  the  protestant  popes — 
I  say  it  becomes  them  to  inform  us  when,  or  by  what 
authority',  Christ's  kingdom  became  a  kingdom  of  this 
world.  By  what  authority  the  church  of  Christ,  which 
he  has  declared  is  one,  (as  his  own  body,  which  it  is, 
was  one,)  became  a  church  of  England,  a  church  of 
Scotland,  a  church  of  Switzerland,  a  church  of  Saxony, 
of  Sweden,  Denmark,  and  many  others,  without  in- 


THE  TWO  SON»  01'   Oli., 

.ing  the  church  of  Rome,  all   regulated  by 
less  or  more   at   variance   wkh   each  other.     Such  a 
change  could  not  be   lawfully   made  by  !  i  di- 

vine authority.  It  could  not  be  lawfully  made  but  by 
an  authority  superior  to  that  of  Christ  or  Ms  apos- 
tles, to  maintain  which,  is  not  only  deism,  but  blas- 
phemy ;  the  very  thought  of  which  throws  a  doubt 
on  the  truth  of  divine  revelation,  on  the  truth  of  which 
all  my  l.<  -Ivation  depends.  Whether  it  r.iain- 

tained  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  not  one,   but  i: 

.is  many  as  th-  hurches,  prescrib- 

ed by  human  authority,  fou..  on  scrip- 

ture, I  appeal  to  the  apostles  of  Christ,  whom  he  au- 
thorised to  plant   and  to   prescribe  the   laws   to   his 
church,  for  which  purpose  he  promised  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  would  teach  them  all  things;   and  to  the  fulfil- 
ling of  which  promise  he  gave  testimony  to  the  « 
of  his  grace,  by  enabling  them  to  do  si. 
&cc.  Passing  other  testimonies  to  the  unity  of  the  body 
of  Christ,  I  shall  only  instance   1  Cor.  xii.  27.  "  Now 
ye  are  the  body  of  Christ,"  8cc.     This  is  certain!; 
to  be  the  body  of  twenty  or  thirty  political  churches  :. 

'-t's  visible  body  is  not  so  divided.    Believers  are 
members  of  his  body,  of  which  the  apostle  says,  (Col. 
i.  18)  "He  is  the  head  of  his  body  the  church."    Thr 
church  they  advocate   has  many  heads,  who  are  • 
changeable  in  their  laws. 

But  is  the  respectable  author  of  the  manuscript 
really  serious,  in  admitting  that  civil  or  national  e 
blishments   of   religion   were    not    necessary   to    the 
growth  and  increase  of  the  church  of  Christ,  but 
to  her  preservation  against  her  enemies,  when  she  had 
come  to  her  growth.    I  seriously  ask  the  author,  if  the 
Q 


182  OBSERVATION'S  ON 

church  had  acquired  her  full  growth  and  increase  in 
the  beginning  of  the  fourth  century,' when  she  first  be- 
came a  kingdom  of  this  world  ?  Notwithstanding  the 
vanity  of  the  Romans  in  dignifying  their  empire  with 
the  name  of  the  world,  yet  by  far  the  greatest  portion 
of  the  human  race  were  not  only  without  its  limits, 
but,  as  since  discovered,  far  beyond  its  knowledge. 
The  regions  of  the  north,  whose  numerous  hordes 
overturned  the  Roman  empire,  am1,  laid  its  glory  in 
the  dust,  were  then  unexplored.  The  vast  empire  of 
China,  called  a  world  by  itself,  was  then  unknown. 
The  very  numerous  savage  nations  of  America,'  and 
the  more  lately  discovered  islands  of  the  Southern 
and  Pacific  Oceans,  containing  a  vast  amount  of  the 
human  race,  had  not  heard  the  sound  of  the  gospel. 
The  dispersed  tribes  of  Israel  had  not  been  convert- 
ed, nor  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  brought  in,  agree- 
ably to  the  divine  promise.  The  church,  therefore,; 
was  very  far  short  of  having  completed  her  increase 
and  growth  at  the  period  in  question  ;  consequently, 
the  author,  on  his  own  principles,  must  admit  that  the 
church  became  a  kingdom  of  this  world  too  soon  for 
his  purpose.  I  believe  it  never  will  become  so  with 
the  divine  approbation ;  but  that  there  is  a  set  time 
in  the  councils  of  heaven  when  Christ's  kingdom  shall 
prevail  throughout  the  world.  This  blessed  time  is 
yet  to  come.  We  know  not  the  time  how  long.  May 
the  Lord  hasten  it  in  its  time.  There  are  signs  of  its 
approach,  but  I  do  not  expect  to  see  its  accomplish- 
ment in  my  day,  but  I  hope  to  die  in  the  faith  of  its 
final  and  joyful  accomplishment.  He  is  faithful  who 
has  promised.  Blessed  be  his  name. 


THE  TWO   SONS  OP  OIL.  183 

The  reverend  author  has  frequently  appealed,   in 
his  book,   to    the   reformers,    martyrs,    and   appr. 
commcntatois,    wii'iout  introducing  the   nan, 

.em,  and  without  any  quotations  from  their  work-i. 
He    has  indeed  made   a    quotation  from   tin 
Catechism,   compiled  by  the  Wcstmin^  uibly 

on  the  question,  "  What  are  the  sins  forbidden  in  the 
second  commandment  f"  In  the  answer  tliey  say,  an. 
other  things,  that  "  Tolerating  a  false  religion  is  for- 
bidden." To  this  I  pe:1.  becaiiLc  I  believe, 
with   the                   Ijlc    author   of    the  book  called  th« 

iid  let  loose,"  which  the  lie  formed  Presbytery 
fifty  years  ago  considered  as  a  standard  authority,  that 
the  term  toleration  is  improper.  It  is  the  illcgitb 

action  of  political  establishments,  of  what  they 
are  pleased  to  call  the  Christian  religion.  The  texts 
offered  by  tin  '. .-,  in  answer  to  the  demand  of 

parliament  for  such  proofs,  called  by  one  brunch  of  tho 
then  civil    go\  Mich    qiu- 

would  be  propounded  to  them  cnt  who 

:i  from  the  peculiar  law  of 

1  as  a  nation,  on  which  I  have  already  given  my 
opinion. 

The   author  himself  quotes  the    authority  of   the 
prophet  Isaiah,  xlix.  23.   "  Kings  shall  be  thy  nursing 

rs,"   &.c.     This  chapter,  and  others  of  that   pro- 
••d  to  the  gospel  day.    It  has   its  ac- 

-lislnnent  in  part  in  the  United  States.  It  had  its 
first  and  most  lite;  iplishment,  as  all  commen- 

iu  the  protection  wlrch  the  symlx.. 
church  and  nation  of  the  Jews  received  Lorn  the  Per- 
sian kings  and  queen   Esther.   We  know  of  no  ki 
sin^e   that   period,    but   what  were  ,     Me    with 


&9+  4JBSEKYATIONS  ON 

smiting  some  of  the  most  faithful  witnesses  for  Christ. 
The*  government  of  the  United  States  has  provided 
against  smiting  any  of  the  servants  of  Christ,  and 
against  pulling  up  the  good  wheat  in  order  to  root  up 
the  tares;  but  to  leave  all  to  the  harvest,  when  the 
heart-searching  Judge  will  make  the  discrimination, 
which  no  fallible  man  can  do.  The  worship  of  God  is 
completely  protected  by  the  government  of  the  Uni- 
ted States.  The  magistrates,  indeed,  have  not  turned 
preachers,  to  feed  believers  with  the  sincere  milk  of 
the  word.  It  is  believed  this  was  not  intended  by  the 
prophet,  nor  meant  by  the  author.  The  prophecy  is, 
therefore,  in  part  fulfilled  by  the  government  of  the 
United  States,  as  a  prelude  to  its  more  full  accom- 
plishment in  the  inillenium,  which  I  believe  is  cer- 
tainly approaching  ;  but  not  such  as  many  expect,  not 
it  worldly  kingdom. 

The  author,  p.  24.  quotes  from  the  Larger  Cate- 
chism the  duties  required  in  the  second  command- 
ment, which  are  there  described  to  be  "  the  detest- 
ing, disapproving,  opposing  all  false  worship,  and, 
according  to  every  one's  place  and  calling,  removing 
all  monuments  of  idolatry."  Though  I  do  not  substi- 
tute the  Westminster,  nor  any  other  human  fallible 
authority,  or  creed  of  any  church,  for  scripture,  yet 
with  the  above  I  most  heartily  agree.  I  hereby  de- 
clare, that  I  detest,  disapprove,  and  oppose  all  false 
Avorship,  and,  according  to  my  place  and  calling,  en- 
deavour to  remove  all  monuments  of  idolatry.  As  a 
proof  of  the  truth  of  this,  I  offer  my  present  endea- 
vours to  remove  the  idolatry  of  the  ratifying  andsawc- 
tioning  power  of  the  laws  of  th?  most  high  God.  bv  the 
civil  magistrate,  as  he  does  civil  laws,  and,  consequent- 


KS   OF   OIL.  185 

'.ling  human  authority  above  the    divine,   and 
r  errors  which  this   idolatry  brings  in    i;^>    ,ukful 

The   author   (p.    3'))  quote-  pie's    Mi-. 

lu'ous  Questions.     '•  Is   hot,"   says  lie,    "  the  mi- 
of  a  bliii-i  :.iii   'a'  In:  acted  n\ 

and   the  loss  of  one    soul  by  seduction,    greater  mU- 
i  than  if  lie  blew  up  a  parli,  ut  the  throat 

of  kiii!rs<  or  e:;ipi  rors ;    so  precious  is  that  invaluable 
I  of  a  soul  :   ar.d  (says  he)  when  the    church    of 
Christ  sinketh    in  let   not  that   stale  think   lo 

swim.    Religion  and  righteousness  flourish    or    i 
stand  or   fail  together.     They  who   arc  false   to  God, 
\sill  ne\er  prove  faithful  to  men." 

Mr.   Ciill  .'>ugh  neither  a  reformer  nor  a 

very  respectable  minister  of  the  church 
ucl,  during  the  distracting  struggles  between 
,  in  the  seventeenth  century.  If, 
vciievc,  he  wrote  the  above  after  1660,  when  pre- 
lacy .  on  a  change  of  the  political  i 

nch,  his  warnuh  can  Le  well  accounted  for. 

On  t  thirds   of  the  ministers  of  that 

church    conformed    to    prelacy,    thereby    renouncing 

.t'.ional  and   solemn   league    and 

to  which  they  had  solemnly  sworn.     They 

.t  a  clisg;  n  to  that  church  to  which 

d,  and  violent   persecutors  of  thtir 

former  brethren,   and  patrons  of   dissoluteness  ;   but 

they  had   been  hypocrites  before.     For    the  proof  of 

this,  sec  The  causes  of  God's  ivrafh,  which  I  have 

now  before  me,  and    the    Solemn  ack?w.  :   of 

tins  a;:cl   engagement    to    duties,   bound    up    with 

Westminster  Confession,  both   official   :  You 


186  OBSERVATIONS  OS 

will  scarcely  any  where  find  a  more  irreligious  set  of 
clergy  described,  than  these  had  been  while  they 
were  members  of  that  church,  during  what  many 
have  thought  to  be  the  purest  times  of  reformation. 
This  is  one  to  be  added  to  many  other  proofs  that  the 
wrath  or  power  of  man  in  matters  of  religion,  tvorketh 
•not  the  righteousness  of  God.  He  in  that  instance  in 
Scotland,  as  well  as  in  every  similar  instance  on  re- 
cord, made  foolish  the -wisdom  of  this  ivotld^  that  he 
might  thereby  teach  men  that  their  faith  should  not 
stand  in  the  wisdom  of  man.  The  apostle  Paul's  preach- 
ing-, whereby  he  converted  the  Gentiles,  "  <tvas  not  in 
the  words  that  man's  wisdom  teccheth."  The  metaphy- 
sical wisdom  of  councils  and  emperors,  never  brought 
souls  to  Christ,  nor  did  worldly  wisdom,  terrors  or  re- 
wards, ever  make  a  pure  church  of  Christ.  Mr.  Gil- 
lespie,  in  the  above  quotation,  is  not  speaking  of  politi- 
cal establishments  or  powers,  but  of  blind  guides*  such 
sis  the  Suvicur  described  the  Pharisees  to  have  been. 
They  are  no  doubt  to  be  found  in  all  chrUtian  sects, 
but  they  abound  most  in  political  churches,  for  obvious 
reasons.  His  observations  of  the  importance  of  real 
religion  to  the  happiness  of  a  nation,  are  very  just, 
agreeing  with  Proverbs  xiii.  34.  u  Righteousness  ex- 
idteth'a  nation,  but  sin  is  the  reproach  of  any  people.-' 
For  this  reason  I  am  opposed  to  laws  calculated  to 
promote  hypocricy,  viz.  prevarication  with  God  and 
man.  Against  such  the  Saviour  pronounces  the  most, 
tremendous  woes.  Even  Mahomet  has  sentenced  such 
to  the  seven  ovens  in  hell,  the  deepest  and  most 
wretched.  Civil  government,  using  its  power  and  in- 
fluence to  increase  that  guilt,  is  contributing  to  in- 


THE  TWO   SONS  OF  OIL.  Ib7 

crease  national  guilt,  and  call  down  desolating  ji. 
menis. 

reverend  author  has,  p.  71,  supposed  us  to 
object  to  his  system,  by  saying,  "The  restraint  and 
punishment  of  blasphemers  and  gross  heresies,  which 
you  contend  for,  belonged  to  the  Jewish  theocracy, 
which  was  typical,  and  so  ought  not  to  be  imitated.'* 

The  objection   is  not  admitted,   because  it  is  not 
true.    The  law  of  Moses  no  where  names  or  provides 
for   punishing   gross  or  other  heresies.     It   provideb 
against  overt  acts,    which  it  exprcsslj  defines,   com- 
mitted by  persons,  and  in  situations  which  it  explicitly 
describes;  and  where  it  prescribes  punishment,  it  docs 
not   leave  it  to  the  opinion  of  the  judges   to  decide 
whether  the  offence  isgro«0  or  small ;  this  is  matter  of 
ion.     The  author  ought  not  to  have  foisted    this 
into  the  law  of  Moses.    Did  he  forget  that  God,   by 
Moses,   had  given  a  solemn  charge  not  to  add  to  it. 
\:\\v  of  Pennsylvania  defines  and  provides  for  th« 
punishment  of  both  blasphemy  and  prophaneness,  not 
,lden  in  the  peculiar  law  of  Moses, 
but  because  it  is  contrary  to  the  moral  law,  and  :; 

;on  of  manners.  The  law  may  yet  provide  for  pr.- 
:ry  on  the  same  principles,  but  surely  the 
law  of  Moses  did  not  authorise  it  but  in  the  syn. 
caliy  holy  land,  where  priests  and  Levites  set  as 
judges ;  nor  to  execute  it  on  any  but  the  devoted  na- 
tions and  apostate  Israelites,  and  in  dclin 

To  support  this  system  in  his  case,  he  introduces 
a  long  quotation  from  a  publication  of  t  Jofcft 

Brown,  seceding  i  >f  Haddington.     This  pious 

and  laborious  divine,  however,  was  neither  one  of  the 
reformers  nor  martyrs,  to  which  the  author  appealed. 


188  OBSERVATIONS  OS 

He  lived  down  to  our  own  day,  many  of  his  works  arc, 
and  will  be  useful,  but  I  do  not  see  a  sentence  in  the 
author's  quotation  from  him,  that  supports  his  system. 
The  quotation,  in  substance,  is  as  follows  : 

"  The  typical  magistrates  of  the  Jewish  nation  ex- 
ercised (intended  executed}   laws  relative  to  murder, 
theft,  unchastity,  and  other  matters  relative  to  the  se- 
cond table  of  the  moral  law.  Ought,  therefore,  no  ma- 
gistrate now  to  do  so  ?    The  laws  respecting  the  se- 
cond table  pertained  as  much  to  the  Jewish  theocracy 
as  the  first.   Must,  -therefore,  the  Christian  magistrate 
for  fear  of  carrying  the  Jewish  theocracy  into  effect, 
meddle  with  no  morality  at  all  ?  Must  every  thing  that 
was  once  typical,  be  now  under  the  gospel,  excluded 
from  regulating  authority  ?  Must  all  the  laws,  directing 
to  elect  men  fearing  God  and  hating  covetousness,  to 
be  magistrates  or  directing  men,  to  judge  justly  and 
impartially  and  prudently,   and  to  punish  murderers, 
thieves,  robbers,  Sec.  be  discarded  as  typical  ?    Must 
the  ten  commandments,  and  all   the   explications   of 
them  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  be  discarded  as 
published  in  a  typical  manner  ?"  &c.  Sec.  Sec.    I  agree 
with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brown,  that  they  ought  not ;  they 
all  belong  to  the  moral  law,  and  their  authority  was 
not  impaired  by  having  been  applied   to  typical   pur- 
poses in  the  less  perfect  national  law  of  Israel,  nor 
do  I  know  of  any  Christian,  or  sect  of  Christians,  that 
thinks  otherwise  ;    nor   do   I   know   how    the  author 
came  to  introduce  the  quotation  to  support  his  cause. 
Surely  he  knows  that  Mr.  Brown  might,  with  propri- 
ety, be  quoted,  in  opposition  to  the  leading  principles 
of  his  system.    Why  did  he  introduce  the  weight  of 
that  man's  name,  to  prove  what  is  nothing  to  his  pur- 


THE  TWO  SDKS  OF  OH..  189 

pose  ?     He   knows  that  whatever  particular    opir 

divine  m'ght  have  had,   he    did  not  suppo: ' 

author's  system,  either  in  theory  or  practice,    lit 

;>i-eachcd  or  practised  disobedience  to  the  moral 
authority  of  the  powers  that  be,  though  he  no  doubt 
preached  to  reform  them,  as  Paul  did,  who  preached 
on  righteousness,  temperance,  and  judgment,  before 
Felix,  the  Roman  governor  and  representative  of  Ne- 
ro, till  he  trembled;  but  he  did  not  preach  against  the 
immorality  of  the  government  itself,  but  of  those  wh* 
administered  it. 


CHAPTER  IT. 

Of  subjection  and  allegiance  to  heathen  prince3~-l.avr  of  Pennsyl- 
vania respecting  murder  vindicated — The  occasion  of  making- 
it — On  the  use  of  money  and  paying"  tribute— The  government 
vindicated  from  the  author's  charge  of  robbery — His  claims  for 
aliens,  and  their  swearing1  oaths — Taking  deeds  for  land — Pro- 
vision for  amending  the  constitution,  and.  not  punishing  heresy 
— The  author's  misrepresentation  of  the  treaty  with  Tripoli 
examined — His  misrepresentation  of  slavery  in  Pennsylvania 
refuted — The  author  demoralizes  all  the  civil  governments  in 
the  world. 


T, 


HE  author  says  (p.  62)  "  But  the  saints  ac- 
cepted offices  and  places  of  trust  under  heathen 
priaces  ;  seethe  cases  of  Ezra,  Nehemiah  and  Daniel, 
in  the  books  called  by  their  names." 

This  objection  I  undertake  to  support.  His  dilem- 
mas, indeed,  might  pass  unanswered ;  but  as  he  has 
nothing  better  to  give  in  support  of  his  cause,  I  will 
give  them  a  place.  They  are  as  follows  :  "  If  the 
saints  accepted  offices,  &c.  we  may  conclude,  ei- 
ther, frst,  that  the  power  was  legitimate  ;  or,  secondly, 
that  offices  may  be  held  under  illegitimate  govern- 
ments ;  or,  thirdly,  that  the  saints  sinned  in  accepting 
them."  The  illustration  of  these  dilemmas  I  will  pasjs 


TUB  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  191 

over  briefly.  His  supposition  of  the  case  of  himself 
being  a  slave  in  Algiers,  and  being  employed  as  pre- 
sident of  a  university,  Sec.  as  similar  to  the  case -of 
Daniel,  in  Babylon,  is  so  absurd,  that  it  -would 
disgrace  a  school-boy.  Captives  made  by  the  Barbarjr 
pirates,  have  their  live  "illy  for  the  sake  of  the 

ransom  expected  for  their  redemption,  and  are  kept 
on  hard  fare,  and  at  hard  labour,  to  induce  their 
iriends  to  ransom  them  soon,  and  at  high  prices.  Un- 
less they  conform  to  Mahometanism,  they  cannot  be 

from  their  chains.  The  author,  I  presume,  n 
,   even   in  romance,  of   a  university   in  Algiers, 
much   less  of  a  Christian  slave   being   appointed  the 
dent  of  it,  or  to  any  other  office.  Imaginary  cases 
be  introduced  for  illustration,   but  they  ought  to 
::igined  within  the  bounds  of  probability. 
It  is  well  known,  that,   according  to  the  ancient 
customs  of  Asia,  when  a  nation  was  taken  captive,  the 
people   were  not   thereby  made  menial  slaves,   as  in 
Algiers,  but  reduced  to  political  slavery,  and,  for  po- 
litic a!  :noved   from   their  native   territory. 
But  they  were  still  subjects,  in  common  with  others,  to 
the  conqueror.  To  prevent  the  inducement  which  re- 
tiding  on  the  lands  and  in  the  cities  of  their  fathers, 
would  give  them  to  revolt,  they  were  removed  to  dis- 
tant territories,  to  which  they  had  no  peculiar  attach- 
ment.   When  the  king   of  Assyria  finally   conqu- 
the  ten  tribes,  after  they  had  revolted,  he  transplanted 
th«;    inhabitants    to  the    eastern  parts  of  his  vast  em- 
pire, to  a  great  distance  from  the  land  of  their  ances- 
tors,  and  replaced  them  with  captives  from  different 
nations  of  the  cast  and  north-east — 2  Kings  xvii.  24. 
and  when   Sennacherib  proposed  to  take  Judah  cap- 


192  *BSERVATIONS  ON 

live,  from  doing  which  he  was  only  prevented  by  a 
miraculous  interposition,  he  proposed  to  take  them 
to  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,  like  their  own 
land — 2  Kings  xviii.  32  In  both  these  cases  they  had 
before  become  tributary  to  the  king  of  Assyria,  and 
afterwards  revolted.  This  was  also  the  case  with  Ju- 
dah,  before  Zedekiah  was  taken  captive,  and  Jerusa- 
lem destroyed.  The  Jews,  when  captives  in  Babylon, 
were  subjects,  but  not  menial  slaves.  Except  the  re- 
moval to  a  distance  from  their  own  land,  they  were  in- 
dividually considered  as  free,  and  they  remained  a 
distinct  people.  Ezra  has  informed  us,  that  they  re- 
turned in  their  usual  order,  according  to  their  fami- 
lies, not  only  with  the  priests  and  Levites,  singers,  8cc. 
but  the  Nithinims,  viz.  those  of  the  Canaanites  who 
had  agreed  to  do  the  necessary  service  of  the  sanctu- 
ary, and  more  than  7000  servants,  male  and  female, 
that  is,  more  than  one  seventh  of  the  whole  number, 
probably  nearly  equal  to  one  slave  to  each  family.  It 
is  well  known  that  the  judicial  law  not  only  tolerated 
but  authorised  the  Israelites  to  procure  and  hold,  in 
perpetuity,  slaves  from  the  nations  around  them  ;  but 
not  of  their  brethren,  nor  stolen.  This  political  slavery 
in  which  the  Jews  were  held  in  Babylon,  is  so  differ* 
ent  from  the  worse  than  menial  slavery  in  Algiers, 
that  I  am  astonished  they  should  ever  have  been  com- 
pared together.  As  well  might  the  colonists  before 
the  revolution,  be  compared  to  slaves  in  Algiers. 

I  foresee,  however,*  an  objection  may  probably  be 
taken  from  Dan.  i.  34.  where  Nebuchadnezzar  directs 
the  master  of  eunuchs  to  select  certain  of  the  children 
of  Israel^  and  of  the  king's  seed,  and  of  the  firinces^  in 
whom  there  was  RO  biemish*  to  be  instructed  in  the 


THE  TWO  SO**   Oi«-  Oil..  193 

laws  of  Chaldca,  Sec.  This  was  the  accomplishment  of 
the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  to  Hczekiah — Isaiah  xxxlx.  7. 
and  i,  Mian  Samuel  the  prop  i  Is- 

own  kings  would  do,  if  the;,    ; 
the  c:  having  a   king,    like  the  natioi. 

1    admit, 
ideas  of 
young  men  were  :  , lie,  at  the  same  time,  they 

nobles  ;    l.ut  no  man  in  hi 

this  kind  of  slavery  to  the   mercenary  and  barbarous 

i*,  these  ring 

thus  f  that  the  rest  rn- 

joyed  personal  liberty,  except  as  to  returning  to  their 
own  land. 

In  page    63,  the  author  says,  "  Any  office  may  be 
:,  or  service  engaged  in,  upon  the  following  condi- 
tions, viz. 

-k  That  the  duties  be  right  in  themselves."  To 
this  all  agree. 

2d.  "  That  t!  uhued  by  a  just  law."  I  an- 

..  latter  of  opinion.  lie  undoubtedly,  agree- 
ably to  his  principles,  believes  that  a  just  law  would 
authorise  punishing  me  as  ?n  heretic.  A  just  law, 
eably  to  my  opinion,  would  let  both  his  head  and 
mine  stay  on  us,  and  afford  us  both  time  to  repent  to 
the  eleventh  hour. 

3d.  "  That  there  be  no  other  oath  of  office  requir- 
ed, but  faithfully  to  execute  official  duties." 

This  third  rule  affords  a  fair  implication  that  the 
author  would  hold  an  office  under  the  devil,  or  any  of 
his  servants,  provided  he  got  the  salary,  and  the  ser- 
vice to  his  mind.  He  will  make  no  question  of  the  right 
to  bestow  the  ofuce,  if  he  gets  the  emolument.  We 
R 


194  OBSERVATIONS    ON 

have  many  others,  at  present,  who  act  on  the  same 
principle.  I  wish  to  be  informed,  however,  by  the  re- 
verend author,  how  an  office  can  be  conferred  by  a 
person,  who  has  no  moral  right  to  hold  an  office  him- 
self? This  is  a  practical,  and,  therefore,  an  important 
question. 

The  author  (p.  64,  65)  states  a  case  of  being  pri- 
soner with  the  Indians,  and,  as  their  slave,  assisting 
them  in  their  lawful  employment ;  but  that  connected 
with  this  they  have  a  rule  "that  every  morning  and 
evening  the  officers  shall  take  care  that  those  under 
their  respective  charges  shall  pow  wow,  or  worship 
the  devil — Let  an  oath  to  support  and  maintain  this 
little  code,  be  made,  by  the  community,  an  essential 
qualification  for  holding  an  office." 

"  Now,  supposing  these  two  men  are  called  to  ac- 
cept offices,  in  their  respective  tribes,  may  they  both 
comply  with  good  consciences  ?" 

I  have  not  inserted  this  case  of  illustration  with  a 
view  to  answer  it,  otherwise  than  to  shew  its  absurdi- 
ty. It  only  goes  to  shew  the  weakness  of  the  author's 
cause.  Illustrations  are  not  proofs  of  any  thing;  they 
are  only  introduced  to  explain  or  elucidate  a  case,  but 
they  can  do  this  no  further  than  the  supposed  case  is 
similar  to  the  real  one,  and  founded  on  probability.  In 
this  case  there  is  neither  similarity  nor  probability. 
There  is  no  similarity  between  the  old  organized  go- 
vernments of  Babylon  and  Assyria,  ivho  were  of  old 
like  a  jwol  of  water,  and  were  the  cradle  of  mankind, 
and  of  the  arts,  and  were  at  ail  times  civilized  govern- 
ments, and  which  eventually  sunk  by  the  excess  of 
refinement  and  luxury,  which  always  renders  men  ef- 
feminate j  whose  Magi  or  men  famous  for  wisdom  de- 


THE  TWO  SONS  OT  OIL.  195 

generated  into  self-seeking  impostors,  such  as  many 
of  the  Christian  clergy  had  clone  in  the  author's  stand- 
ard period,  and  who  e\«  ded  the  eastern  magi- 
cians, in  the  of  their  fabulous  n.irades  and 
sainted  impostors.  The  Indians  never  v.-rrc,  in  this 
country,  civilized  ;  they  have  always  been  barbarous, 
and  all  attempts  hitherto  to  civilize  them  have  proved 
abortive.  Ai.d  yd.  strange  to  tell,  they  understand  the 

of  nature  better,  and  practice  more  agreeably  to 

religion  of  their  fellow   men, 

than  the  author.  According  to  my  information,  recciv- 

om  those  who  have  dwelt  long  among  their  va- 
rious tribes,  either  as  pn  public  agents,  or 
traders,  they  believe  that  men  are  accountable  only 
to  the  Great  Spirit,  the  master  of  breath,  for  their  re- 
ligion ;  they  respect  a  really  religious  man,  and  have 
often  reproved  Christian  prisoners  for  not  living  agree- 
able to  the  principles  of  their  religion.  They  some- 
times savagely  barbecue  and  cat  a  portion  of  their 
enemies  taken  in  war,  but  they  never  have  obliged 
either  Christians,  or  other  tribes,  to  attend  their  pov/ 
wows  ;  doing  so  is  absolutely  contrary  to  their  mil 
vhich  prevent  strangers  from  attending  them.  Ii< 
it  is  that  we  know  nothing  certain  about  them,  and 
are  liable  to  be  imposed  on.  One  respectable  person, 
who  had  Ion:;  been  thrir  prisoner,  informed  me,  that 
knowing  of  an  unusual  stir,  and  numerous  meetings, 
made  interest  to  be  secretly  admitted,  but  saw  no 
pow  wow,  but  only  a  m:in  preaching  morality  from 
the  law  of  nature,  as  far  as  he  understood  it,  with  re- 
lation  to  their  dependance  on  the  Great  Spirit  for 
their  success  in  hunting,  Sec.  lie  taught  them  that 


W.BSfcRVATIOUS    ON 

the  ghosts  of  women  and  children  murdered  in   war- 
would  hant  them.  Sec. 

Why  should  the  author  have  recourse  to  the  un- 
lettered savages  for  the  support  of  his  cause  ;  and,  in 
so  doing,  slander  even  them  so  egregiously,  as  by  im- 
plication to  charge  them  with  a  conduct,  of  which 
they  never  were  guilty,  and  which  is  contrary  to  all 
their  established  rules  ?  With  equal  justice  may  he, 
as  he  has  done,  suppose  the  primitive  Christians,  ap- 
proved commentators,  and  the  reformers,  to  have  tes- 
tified in  favour  of  his  system,  which,  with  the  apos- 
tles, they  have  uniformly  testified  against.  In  this  case, 
as  well  as  the  case  of  Algiers,  there  is  neither  simi- 
larity nor  probability.  Therefore  it  is  a  mere  sophism 
to  deceive  the  misinformed,  analogous  to  the  so  call- 
ed j:iw.8  frauds  which  prevailed  in  the  fourth  and 
fifth  centuries. 

After  the  author  has  at  length  gone  on  to  prove 
how  much  better  the  government  of  Babylon  was,  witlji 
respect  to  holding  offices  under  it,  viz.  holding  them 
under  a  despotic  government,  than  a  government  of 
compact  and  law,  he  says  (p.  64)  the  despotic  govern- 
ments require  no  oath  of  allegiance,  which  the  others 
do.  He  concludes  the  paragraph  by  asserting,  "  Daniel 
had  not,  therefore,  to  swear  to  support  an  immoral 
constitution,  for  there  was  none."  In  the  next  para- 
graph he  says  :  "  The  office  was  either  such  as  re- 
quired allegiance  to  the  constitution,  or  it  did  not.  If 
the  latter,  it  is  the  thing  contended  for,  viz.  that  there 
\v?_s  no  immoral  obligation  connected  with  the  office. 
If  the  former,  he  was  perjured,  not  only  by  breaking 
it  in  several  instances,  but  in  taking  it  also,  for  he 
swore  to  a  blank,  i.  e.  to  perform  he  knew  not  what ; 


THE  B   OF   OIL.  137 


there  is  n- 

indeed  it  would  have  been  im 
smi;  -    which  he  and  oilier*  in  0 

quently  enjoyed." 

Wr  have  only  ihe  author's  assertion,  that  ihc  king 
of  I!.  o  oath  of  allegiance,  and  that  the 

;iO   law  but  the  will  of  tl 

This  is  not  the  case  in  the  most  despotic  j.overn- 
iiieius.  In  th-  is  so  much  aboxe  the 

•s.     This 

ripts  of  the  Roman  empe- 
Ight  of  despotism,  and, 

in  the  author's  opinion,  of  perfection.  He  has  indeed 
couni<-d  hugely  on  the  credulity  of  those  for  whom  he 
wrote,  when  he  asserted  thai  the  king  of  Babylon  re- 
quit  .  i  of  allegiance,  when  he  conferred  a  trust. 

Ho\\  i  ? 

ing  of  Babylon  had  carried  Jehoi- 
:i    and  other  captives  to  Babylon,    he  m, 

.  ernor  ov  with  the  title 

of  king.    In  <  g  that  trust  he  required  an  oath 

DCe,     For  breaking  this  oath    Xedckiah  t'or- 

,  and  procured  its  destruc- 

••ssj)irccl  v.  •  -,  (2  Chron.  xxx\i. 

13.)  speaking  of  the  sins  «.f   Xi-dckiah,  "  And  he  also 

lied  agai:  Nebuchadnezzar,  who  had  made 

him  swear  by 

vii.    from  the    llth    to   the     18th    A; 
"svhv!  rkiah    is   most    severely    reproved    for 

breaking  his  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  king  of  Babylon. 
v.  18.  "Seeing  he  despised  the  oath  by  breaking  the 
covenant,  when  lo,  he  had  given  his  hand,  and  done 
all  these  things,  he  shall  not  escape.  Therefore,  thus 
R  2 


198  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

saith  the  Lord  God,  as  I  live,  surely  mine  oath,  which 
he  hath  broken,  even  it  will  I  recompense  on  his  own 
head,"  Sec.  When  we  compare  this  with  the  pathetic, 
impressive,  and  prophetical  exhortations  of  the  weep- 
ing prophet  Jeremiah  to  Zedekiah,  to  fulfil  his  alle- 
giance to  the  king  of  Babylon,  we  will  probably  be 
convinced,  that  in  taking  that  oath,  and  giving  Jus  hand, 
he  had  the  smiles,  i.  e.  the  approbation  of  heaven  ;  and 
that  in  breaking  it,  he  had  its  high  disapprobation. 
Of  this  oath  we  are  only  incidentally  informed, 
through  the  breach  of  it,  but  it  proves  that  the  king  of 
Babylon  was  in  the  habit  of  requiring  such  ;  that  is  to 
say-,  that  it  was  the  law  of  the  kingdom  to  require  an 
oath  of  allegiance  when  a  public  trust  was  conferred. 
That  oaths  were  required  and  given,  as  the  highest 
assurance  of  confidence,  in  conferring  trusts  and 
pledging  friendship,  from  the  early  ages  of  the  world* 
is  evident,  from  the  history  of  the  palriarchs  in  the 
becks  of  Moses.  It  is  authorised  by  tl  i' nature, 

the  law  of  Moses,  by  the  gospel,  and  by  the  highest 
possible  imitable  example,  viz.  the  of  Go;! 

Almighty  ;  with  this  difference,  that  because  he  could 
swear  by  no  greater,  he  swear  b;  .:',  and  because 

he  is  infinitely  the  greatest,  men  and  angels  swear  by 
him.  To  bind  Zedekiah  the  more  firmly  to  perform 
his  oath,  Nebuchadnezzar  changed  his  name  from 
Mettaniah,  to  what  imports  the  righteousness  of  God. 
The  Universal  History,  and  others,  inform  us,  in  ad- 
dition to  what  the  liible  does,  that  oaths  were  in  use 
und  sacred  among  the  Gentile  nations  from  time  im- 
memorial. We  know  they  were  awfully  so  among  the 
Greeks  and  Romans.  The  author  himself  will  admit, 
that  the  term  sacrament,  which  Christians  apply  to 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  199 

baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,   as  seals  of  the  Co 

race,  is  uikrn  IVom  the  oath  of  mleluy  » 

by  the  Roman  officers  and  soldiers  io  that  heaihcnaml 

s  t'Hjvernment.     That   the  Sa\iour,    when  he 

;1   the    centurion'^  ;hly    approved    of 

.  !>ut  did  not  censure  him  for  holding  the  mi- 

litarv  .1  under  that  oath*  nor  tell  him  to  resign 

it.  T  .'ion,   who   was  directed  by  an  angel   to 

send  for  the  apostle  Peter  to  instruct  him   more  per- 

1  the  smiles  of  heaven  while  he  \\  as  un- 

n  osuh  01  ftCC,  and  while  an  emperor  rcign- 

fd,  little,  if  at  all,  inferior  in  wickedness  to  Nero,  viz. 

la  instructions  arc  on  record,  but 

in  none  of  them  is  he  told  to  renounce  his  allegiance 

;.iem.    This  centurion  enjoyed 

in  an   extraordinary  measure 

stlc 

him  tin-  doctrine  of  C 

cuicifed,  Sec.  but  not  a  word  about  the  imn 

sworn   i  r  a 

did  the  ;  , 

'.vho 

rirdcd  him  on  his 

ge   to  Rome,  and  during  k  on  his 

1  appeal  to  the  su- 
ipire,   while  the  i.ibnxtt-r  Xero 

Ttie   author   ' 

'A  did  not  take  an  oath  to  the  king  of  Baby- 
lon. UT1;  Ji  v/as  the  legislator;    his  v,  ill 
ihc  law  of  t'ue  realm,    i  ;:e  woul* 
he  slew,  and  whom  he  would  he  kept  air. 

Has  not  the  author,  in  this  instance,  proved  too 


•200  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

much.  When  Israel  chose  to  be  governed  by  a  king) 
like  the  nations  around  them,  viz.  a  despot,  as  all  the 
kings  in  Asia  had  then  become  ;  God,  as  their  king, 
severely  reproved  them  for  their  choice,  and  by  his 
prophet  warned  them  of  the  result.  1  Sam.  viii.  10 — 
22.  After  this,  we  never  hear  of  a  king  who  thought 
proper  to  take  a  man's  life,  by  applying  for  this  pur- 
pose to  the  courts  of  justice  instituted  by  the  judicial 
law.  Nebuchadnezzar  was  a  mighty  conqueror.  His- 
tory says  he  governed  from  India  to  the  pillars  of  Her- 
cules, i.  e.  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar.  When  he  took  Je- 
rusalem, which  had  most  perfidiously  rebelled,  he 
slew  the  king's  sons  before  his  eyes,  and  whom  be- 
sides he  thought  proper.  This  was  agreeable  even  to 
the  modern  law  of  nations,  as  they,  after  rebelling 
contrary  to  the  solemn  oath  of  their  king,  and  holding 
out  during  a  long  siege,  contrary  to  the  advice  of  Je- 
remiah the  prophet,  were  taken  without  conditions. 
Was  this  worse  than  David  did  with  the  Ammonites  ? 
See  2  Sam.  xii.  31.  "And  he  (David)  brought  forth 
the  people  that  were  therein,  and  put  them  under 
saws,  and  under  harrows  of  iron,  and  under  axes  of 
iron,  and  made  them  pass  through  the  brick  kiln ; 
and  thus  did  he  unto  all  the  cities  of  the  children  of 
Ammon."  The  children  of  Ammon  never  had  taken 
an  oath  to  David  with  the  divine  approbation,  as  Ze- 
dekiah  had  done  to  the  king  of  Babylon.  I  vindicate 
neither  of  them.  The  scripture  records  the  fact  with 
c"  Aspect  to  David,  but  makes  no  apology  for  his  con- 
L1]  jjct  in  this  instance.  The  Bible  taken,  even  as  a  com- 
mon history,  is  the  most  candid  and  impartial  history 
that  ever  was  wrote.  In  matters  of  fact,  it  has  no  fa- 
Tourites,  and  makes  no  apologies. 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  201 

To  come  to  the  emperors  to  whom  the  author  im- 
plied!)- ascribes  infallibility,  as  they  were  the  first  who 
pretended  to  give  authority,  by  their  ci\il  sanction,  to 
the  law  of  the  most  hit-h  (iod,  they  had  precisely  the 
character  given  to  the  king  of  Baby  Ion;  to/torn  they  7; 
they  t>lt iv,  anil  whom  they  'would  they  kejit  alive.  Constan- 
tino slew  his  own  son  Crispin,  and  afterwards  his  wife, 
a  number  of  the  nobles,  his  brother-in-law,  after  he 
had  promised  him  protection,  and  his  sister's  son  of 
welve  years  old,  without  a  form  of  trial,  for  which,  at 
Koine,  he  acquired  the  name  of  the  second  Nero.  He 
sometimes  exposed  prisoners,  taken  in  war,  to  wild 
beasts  for  amusement,  and  shed  as  much  blood  in  war, 
probably,  as  the  king  of  Babylon,  and  grievously  op- 
pressed the  empire.  Theodosius,  a  better  man  I  ad- 
mit, than  Constantine,  in  a  passion  massacred  the  in- 
habitants oi  Thessalonica,  his  own  subjects,  and  com- 
mitted oth  ->ses.  He  shed  much  blood  in  war, 
but  it  was  principally  for  the  necessary  defence  of  the 
empire,  not  in  a  struggle  for  empire,  like  Constantine. 

he  author  acknowledges  their  authority,  and  com- 
pares them  to  good  Josiah,  Sec.      Was  their  murder 
and  oppression  the  less  criminal,   because  they 
Christians,   and   had  usurped  the  authority   of  ChiUt 
over  house  ? 

In   short,  the  prophet  Jeremiah  writes  by  divine 

lion    to  the    captives   in   Babylon,    and    exhorts 
(Jer.  xxix.  4 — 7)  to  be  good  subjects,  to  marry, 
to  plant,  to  build,  to  seek  the  peace  of  the  city,  and  to 
pray  unto  the  Lord  for  it,  for  in  the  ftcace  thereof  you 
•-  peace.     Very    similar    this   to    the    ap 
.vctions  in  1  Tim.  ix.  1 — 3.  »*  1  exhort,  ti, 
tore,  that,  first  of  all,  supplications,  prayers,  inteu 


202  OBSERVATIONS    »K 

stons,  and  giving  of  thanks,  be  made  for  all  men:  for 
kings,  and  for  all  that  are  in  authority,  that  we  lead  a 
quiet  and  peaceable  life,  in  all  godliness  and  honesty." 
Here  the  testimony  of  an  eminent  prophet  and  apostle 
agrees  in  giving  their  united  testimony,  that  allegi- 
ance expressed  in  every  proper  manner,  to  such  pow- 
ers as  we  receive  protection  from,  and  as  God,  in  his 
providence,  has  set  over  us,  is  both  our  duty  and  inte-< 
rest.  When  they  withdraw  their  protection,  the  alle- 
giance ceases  of  course  ;  yet  this  is  not  admitted  by 
the  author's  political  heads  of  the  church  of  Christ  on 
earth.  They  frequently  have  claimed  allegiance  where 
they  have  withdrawn  protection  from,  and  made  war 
on  such  as  would  not  worship  the  image  they  had  set 
up,  viz.  human  authority  substituted  in  place  of  the 
divine. 

An  oath  of  allegiance,  which  God  calls  mine  oath, 
and  my  covenant,  was  exacted  from  Zedekiah,  on  be- 
ing appointed  governor,  with  the  title  of  king,  of  the 
small  territory  of  Judea,  afterwards  but  a  small  por- 
tion of  the  province  on  that  side  of  the  river  Euphrates. 
Of  this  oath  and  covenant  of  allegiance  to  the  king  of 
Babylon,  God  highly  approves,  and  by  his  prophets 
exhorts,  in  the  most  pathetic  manner,  to  the  faithful 
fulfilling  of  it,  and  denounces  and  executes  desolating 
judgments  for  the  breach  of  it,  and  commands  the 
captives  to  be  good  subjects,  not  only  in  their  out- 
ward practice,  but  in  their  prayers  to  God,  for  the 
welfare  of  the  government  to  whom  they  were  cap- 
tives ;  and  they  enjoyed  the  smiles  of  heaven  in  do- 
ing so. 

Daniel  was  appointed  to,  and  accepted  of  the  office 
of  chief  governor  of  the  extensive  and  powerful  pro- 


I  HK   TWO  SONS   OF   OIL. 

vince  of  Babylon,  including  the  seat  of  empire,  and  of 
chief  justice  of  the  empire,  implied  by  "  sitting  in  the 
kind's  gate,"  viz.  the  supreme  seat  of  judgment.  Vet 
the  author  assures  us,  on  his  own  authority  only,  that 
li»:  took  no  oath  of  allegiance,  or  that  if  he  did,  he  was 
perjured,  and  could  not  enjoy  the  smiles  of  heaven. 
Now  \\e  art-  assured  he  did  enjoy  the  smiles  of  hea- 
ven, that  the  king  of  Babylon  \vas  in  the  habit  of 
quiring  such  an  oath,  on  conferring  a  trust,  that  God 
approved  of  giving  it,  and  punished  the  breach  of  it, 
and  smiled  on  those  who  took  and  fulfilled  it.  By  what 
authority  then  can  the  author  say,  that  the  king  of 
Babylon  did  not  require  an  oath  of  allegiance  from 
Daniel,  or  that  if  he  gave  it,  he  was  perjured,  and 
could  not  enjoy  the  smiles  of  heaven  ? 

How  opposite  to  Jeremiah  the  prophet  is  the  au- 
thor 1  Jer.  27.  from  the  first  to  the  last  verse,  God 
asserts  his  sovereign  right  to  dispose  of  all  nations  of 
the  earth,  and  dispose  of  them  to  whom  he  will,  and 
declares  that  he  has  given  into  the  hand  of  Nebu- 
chadnezzar all  the  kings  and  their  dominion  and  pro- 
perty, before  named,  to  serve  him,  and  his  son,  and  his 
son's  sen,  until  the  time  of  his  land,  viz.  of  the  fall  of 
the  Babylonish  empire  come. 

In  the  12th  verse  the  prophet  applies  particularly 
to  Zcdckiah  and  the  Jews,  saying,  "  Bring  your  neck 
under  the  king  of  Babylon,  and  serve  him  and  his 
people,  and  live."  "  Why  will  you  die,  thou  and  thy 
people,  by  the  sword,  by  the  famine,  &c. — There- 
fore, hearken  thou  not  unto  the  words  of  the  prophets, 
who  speak  unto  you,  saying,  Ye  shall  not  serve  the 
king  of  Babylon,  they  prophecy  a  lie  unto  you." 


204  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

In  the  above,  the  smiles  of  heaven  are  connected 
with  submitting  to  the  authority  of  the  king  of  Baby- 
lon, of  which  we  know  by  the  case  of  Zedekiah,  that 
taking  an  oath  of  allegiance  was  one  instance  of  obe- 
dience required  and  approved  of  by  God,  and  the 
breach  of  it  called  rebellion  by  the  authority  of  God 
Almighty.  The  author,  however,  in  his  superior  wis- 
dom, has  chosen  his  lot  with  the  false  pivpi.cis,  and 
may  be  addressed  in  the  words  of  the  prophet  Ezek. 
chap,  xxviii.  3.  u  Behold  thou  art  wiser  than  Daniel,'* 
&c.  The  above  applies  equally  to  the  cases  of  Zerub- 
babel,  Ezra,  Nehemiah,  Mordeeai,  three  of  them  suc- 
cessively governors  of  Judea,  and  the  fourth  prime, 
minister  of  Persia,  and  to  all  similar  cases.  God,  by 
the  prophet,  expressly  gave  the  dominion  to  Babylon 
for  three  generations,  and  after  this  gave  it  to  Cyrus, 
king  of  Persia,  without  express  limitation  of  duration, 
but  with  a  prophetic  intimation  that  it  should  pass  to 
the  Greeks,  to  whose  authority,  in  the  person  of 
Alexander,  it  was  transferred. 

All  authors,  whether  divine,  moral,  or  political, 
whose  works  I  have  had  an  opportunity  of  perusing, 
except  the  author's,  agree  in  maintaining  that  alle- 
giance and  protection  are  inseparably  relative  terms, 
and  that  their  relation  is  founded  in  moral  honesty, 
viz.  the  moral  law  of  nature.  The  author  not  only 
reverses  this  universally  established  doctrine  in  the- 
ory, but  in  piactice;  he  and  those  for  whose  be- 
nefit he  professes  to  write,  have,  and  still  continue  to 
receive  protection  from  the  government  of  Penn- 
sylvania, which  has  been  distinguished  for  hospitality 
to  strangers,  agreeably  to  the  directions  of  the  apos- 
tle, ever  since  it  became  a  colony.  This  principle 


TH£   TWO  SONS   OF    OIL.  306 

wai  carefully  introduced  by  Mr.  Penn,  its  original 
founder,  and  not  loss  carefully  cultivated  by  the  state 
government.  Of  this  the  reverend  author,  and  those 
who  adhere  to  his  system,  are  standing -witnesses.  But 
what  is  the  return  made  for  this  protection?  It  is  not 
allegiance.  It  is  not  even  quiet  and  inoffensive  acqui- 
escence. It  is  firr  'lander,  and  sedition.  This, 
indeed,  is  a  high  charge,  which  ought  not  to  be  made 
on  light  grounds.  If  I  do  so,  the  candid  reader  will 
condemn  me;  therefore  I  am  responsible  for  the 
charge. 

I  pass  over  his  insidious,  but  trifling  objections  to 
the  oaths  administered  to  jurors,  Sec.  Sec.  (p.  54)  as 
unworthy  of  notice  or  reply,  but  cannot  pass  over  his 
note  on  the  criminal  code  of  Pennsylvania,  p.  55. 

"  In  no  case  does  the  violation  of  the  divine  law 
.»r  more  flagrant,  than  in  the  law  of  Pennsylvania, 
respecting  murder.  (!od  expressly  commands,  in  the 
most  point -,'d  manner,  (i.'.-n.  ix.  6.  l  Whoso  sheddeth 
man's  blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed/  And, 
Nurrb.  xxxv.  31.  'Moreover,  ye  shall  take  no  satis- 
faction for  the  life  of  a  murderer,  which  is  guilty  of 
death  ;  but  he  shall  be  surely  put  to  death.'  Verse 
23.  4  And  the  land  cannot  be  cleansed  of  the  blood 
that  is  bhccl  therein,  but  by  the  blood  of  him  that 
shed  it.' 

"  The    divine    law     distinguishes    between    man- 
•;hter  and  murder;  but  not  between  murder  of  the 
first  degree,   and  murder  of  the  second.     How  flatly 
contradictory  to  the  law  of  God,   is  the  law   of  Penn- 
sylvania, which  declares,  that,  after   April   22,    1794, 
*  No  crime  whatsoever  (except  murder  of  the  First  de- 
gree) shall  be  punished  with   death,  in  the  state   of 
S 


206  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

Pennsylvania.'  See  Read's  Digest,  page  288.  How 
could  a  juror,  who  was  a  Bible  believer,  act  in  this 
case  I" 

I  am  very  sorry  that  I  cannot  avoid  saying,  that 
the  author,  in  the  above  paragraph,  has  indulged  in 
asserting  an  absolute  and  palpable  falsehood. 

He  says  the  divine  law,  probably  meaning  that  the 
peculiar  law  of  Moses  distinguishes  between  murder 
and  manslaughter.  I  say,  and  say  it  with  confidence, 
that  it  does  n of.  It  neither  mentions  nor  distinguishes 
between  manslaughter  and  the  most  innocent  acci- 
dental homicides  ;  between  a  man  being  "  killed  by 
the  axe  slipping  off  the  helve,"  (Deut.  xix.  5)  nor  the 
case  where  the  "  man  lies  not  in  wait,  but  God  deli- 
vers him  into  his  hand ;  then  I  will  appoint  thee  a 
place  whither  he  shall  flee.  But  if  a  man  come  pre- 
sumptuously upon  his  neighbour,  to  slay  him  with 
guile ;  thou  shalt  take  him  from  mine  altar,  that  he 
may  die" — Exod.  xxi.  13,  14.  "  But  if  he  thrust  him 
of  hatred,  or  hurl  at  him  by  laying  of  wait,  that  he 
die ;  or  in  enmity  smite  him  with  his  hand,  that  he 
die :  he  that  smote  him  shall  surely  be  put  to  death  ; 
for  he  is  a  murderer  :  the  revenger  of  blood  shall  slay 
the  murderer,  when  he  meeieth  him.  But  if  he  thrust 
him  suddenly  without  enmity,  or  have  cast  upon  him, 
any  thing  without  laying  of  wait;  or  with  any  stone, 
wherewith  a  man  may  die,  seeing  him  not,  and  cast  it 
upon  him,  that  he  die,  and  was  not  his  enemy,  neither 
sought  his  harm;  then  the  congregation  shall  judge 
between  the  slayer  and  the  revenger  of  blood  accor- 
ding to  these  judgments" — Numbers  xxxv.  22 — 24. 
"  But  if  any  man  hate  his  neighbour,  and  lie  in  wait 
for  him,  and  smite  him  mortally,  that  he  die,  and 


THE   TWO   SONS   OF   OIL.  207 

flceth  into  one  of  those  cities,  then  the  elders  of  his 
city  shall  send  and  fetch  him  hence,"  Sec. 

On  these  extracts    from  the  law  of   Moses,   I  ob- 
serve,   that  they   do   not  fully  correspond   with   that 
n  to  the  sons  of  Noah.     The/  very  materially  re- 
in the  power  of  the  avenger  of  blood,  both  by  tiie 
institution  of  the  cities  of  refuge,  and  courts  of  jusii<  .  . 
The  penalties  for  the  breach  of  the  moiv.l  law  being 
no  part  of  the  law  itself,   but   incidentally   beco 
necessary,  because  of  transgression,  to  enforce  <• 
ence  to  it ;   ti.  uirgeable  according  to  circum- 

stances, and  the  will  of  the  legislature. 

I  have  before  observed,  that  the  law  respecting 
the  punishment  of  murder  given  to  the  sons  of  Noah, 
the  best  that  the  then  state  of  society  would  ad- 
mit. That  all  penalties  being  positive  and  changeable 
institutions,  agreeable  to  the  will  of  the  legislature,  a 
different  and  improved  criminal  code  was  given  by 
Moses.  And  by  the  same  rule,  every  nation  taking  the 
moral  law,  applicable  for  their  own  circumstances,  for 
their  guide,  have  a  right  to  enact  such  penalties  as 
arc  necessary  to  protect  their  people  in  living  yuiet 
and  fieuccablf  livcx  in  godliness  and  /ionet>tif,  agreeable 
to  the  prayer  which  the  apostle  directed  to  be  offered 
up  by  the  churches. 

The  legislature  of  Pennsylvania  very  properly  ex- 
ercised this  right,  and  accommodated  her  criminal 
code  agreeably  to  circumstances,  and  the  slate  of  so- 
ciety. But  was  their  decision  contrary  to  the  moral 
law  ?  No,  it  was  not.  Was  it  contrary  to  the  judicial 
law  of  Moses  ?  No,  it  was  not.  It  was  an  impi 
ment  of  it,  and  no  doubt  such  as  it  would  have  been, 
if  circumstances  had  been  equal.  Jitit  why  did  not 


OBSERVATIONS   ON 

the  author  state  the  law  of  Pennsylvania  as  any  ho- 
nest man  would  have  done  ?  lie  quoted  the  introduc- 
tory or  heading  line,  repealing  other  criminal  laws, 
and  gave  it  out  for  the  ;-iw  itself  respecting  murder* 
and  falsified  the  law  of  Moses  to  give  plausible  cur- 
rency to  his  seditious  slander  of  the  law  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Ab  crime i  except  murder  in  the  first  degree,  shall  be 
punished  with  death.  Ail  murder  voliich  shall  be  perpe- 
trated  bij  means  of  poison,  or  by  laying  in  wait,  or  by  any 
kind  of  wilful,  deliberate,  and  premeditated  killing,  or 
which  shall  be  committed  in  the  perpetration,  or  attempt 
to  perpetrate,  arson,  rape,  or  burglary,  shall  be  deemed 
murder  in  thcjirst  degree. 

The  above  is  the  law  of  Pennsylvania  for  punish- 
ing murder,  of  which  he  has  not  inserted  one  word. 
He  has  only  inserted  a  negative  introductory  line, 
which  applies  more  particularly  to  other  crimes  for- 
merly punished  by  death,  than  to  murder,  for  it  made 
no  change  in  the  punishment  of  murder,  nor  abate- 
ment of  it.  The  definition  of  murder  to  be  punished 
with  death,  includes  the  definition  of  the  law  of  Mo- 
ses, with  the  addition  of  poisoning,  and  without  the 
exception  in  favour  of  the  master  who  killed  his  ser- 
vant. The  law  of  Moses,  in  every  instance,  shews  the 
greatest  detestation  of  shedding-  human  blood,  but 
distributes  the  punishments,  as  it  pleased  divine  wis- 
dom to  entrust  to  fallible  judges  in  that  state  of  so- 
ciety. For  the  same  reason,  two  witnesses  were  indis- 
pensably necessary,  under  that  law,  to  convict  a  mur- 
derer. In  the  present  state  of  society,  Pennsylvania, 
and  all  the  other  states  (except  one)  make  no  excep- 
tion in  favour  of  the  master  who  wilfully  and  delibe- 


THE  TWO   SON'S  OF   Oil..  209 

rately  kills  his  slave,  and  all  of  them  arc  convicted  on 
the  testimony  of  one  positive  witness;  hence  the  law 
of  Pennsylvania  is  more  severe  against  murder  than 
the  judicial  law.  It  is  similar  lo  the  law  of  England, 
and  both  in  a  degree  copied  from  the  law  of  Moses, 
adapted  to  change  of  circumstances.  Murder  is  defin- 
ed by  the  law  of  England  to  be  "  a  person  of  sound 
memory  and  discretion,  unlawfully  killing  any  rea- 
sonable creature,  in  being,  and  under  the  king's  peace, 
with  malice  aforethought,  either  express  or  im- 
plied." Torture  was  not  admitted  in  the  judicial  law, 
but  it  was  introduced  among  Christians  in  the  dark 
ages,  and  applied  to  several  real  or  supposed  crimes, 
especially  against  heresy,  under  the  notion  of  punish- 
ing sin. 

Murder,  in  the  English  law,  is  called  felonious  ho- 
micide. In  the  judicial  law  all  manslaying,  short  of 
murder,  is  considered  as  one  kind  of  homicide,  and 
equally  punished  with  death,  if  caught  by  the  aven- 
ger; or,  if  he  escapes,  with  banishment  to  the  city  of 
refuge,  except  the  master  who  slew  his  servant,  for 
whom  the  punishment,  in  the  most  aggravated  cases, 
was  a  fine.  The  Roman  civil  laws,  however,  which 
generally  prevailed  among  Christian  nations,  and  the 
common  law  of  England,  distinguish  homicides  into 
different  classes,  such  as  justifiable,  excusable,  and 
felonious  ;  and  those  are  again  subdivided  and  punish- 
ed according  to  their  different  degrees  of  criminality. 
But  whoever  kills  a  man,  however  innocently  or  justi- 
fiably, must  stand  his  trial  as  a  murderer,  and  bear 
the  burthen  of  proof  to  vindicate  himself.  This,  no 
doubt,  for  good  reasons,  was  not  the  case  with  the 
judicial  law.  In  prosecutions  under  it,  the  burthen  of 
s  2 


210  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

proof  lay  on  the  prosecutors,  who  must  produce  two 
positive  witnesses  to  prove  the  fact. 

The  English   law,   Sec.   also  distinguish  felonious 
homicides  into  different  classes,  viz.  treason,  murder, 
and  manslaughter.  The  last  they  define  to  be  the  un- 
lawful killing  of  another,   without  malice,  either  ex- 
press or  implied,  but  in  a  sudden  passion,  or  in  some 
unlawful  act,  without  any  known  malice  aforethought, 
or  premeditated  intention.  Such  would,  under  the  ju- 
dicial law,  have  been  entitled  to  their  refuge,  and  pro- 
tected from  the  avenger,  equally  with  more  innocent 
homicides.  This  embraces  most  of  the  cases  of  homi- 
cides  that  take    place    in    unpremeditated   quarrels, 
frays,  kc.  and  unfortunately  it  has  been  applied  to  the 
case  of  duels.  Men  of  sobriety  and  reflection,  both  in 
England  and  this  country,   have  long  lamented,  that 
through  the  aversion  of  juries  to  take  mens'  lives, 
murderers  frequently  escaped  with  only  the  punish- 
ment  of  manslaughter,  viz.    a  slight  touch   on    the 
hand  with  a  hot  iron,  which,  from  habit,  has  come  to 
be  attended  with  little  or   no  disgrace.    Forfeiture  of 
estate  is  mentioned,    but   seldom  executed,  even  in 
England,  and  cannot  in  this  country,  where  that  kind 
of  royal  robbery  of  families  is  constitutionally  forbid, 
even  in    cases   of  treason.     All  whipping,   cropping, 
burning  the  hand,  Sec.  which  disguises  or  maims  the 
body  of  a  man.  is  also  forbidden  by   our  laws.     This 
rendered  it   necessary  to   enact  some  other  punish- 
ment for  manslaughter,  that  it  might  not  escape,  and 
also  that  murder,  in  doubtful  cases,  might  not  escape 
altogether,  under  the  name  of  manslaughter.    They 
did   not,  for  this   purpose,  abate   the  punishment  of 
murder,  nor  qualify  the  definition  of  it,  but^to  render 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  311 

it  more  detestable,  called  it  by  the  opprobrious  name  of 
"murder  in  the  first  degree  ;"  and  on  the  same  princi- 
ple, to  render  manslaughter,  in  the  higher  grades  of 
it,  more  detestable,  they  called  it  "  murder  in  the  se- 
cond degree."  And  instead  of  a  slight  burn  on  the 
hand,  at  the  discretion  of  the  executioner,  who  might 
easily  be  bribed,  the  delinquent  must  be  condemned 
to  a  period  of  imprisonment  and  hard  labour,  for  a 
term,  not  exceeding  fourteen  years — no  trifling  pu- 
nishment. When  the  criminal  code  was  revised,  the 
judges  were  authorised  to  offer  this  in  preference  of 
death,  to  some  who  were  liable  for  crimes  committed 
under  the  former  law  to  death  ;  some  of  them  refused 
the  exchange. 

Here  it  is  observable,  that  the  author  has  palmed 
a  line,  repealing  other  criminal  laws,  on  his  readers, 
for  the  law  of  Pennsylvania,  providing  for  the  punish- 
ment of  murder.  And  to  aid  him  in  his  deception, 
took  advantage  of  its  being  entered  as  an  introduction 
to  that  law,  not  to  repeal  it,  as  he  insinuates,  but  to 
prepare  the  way  for  giving  it  more  explicit  force,  lie 
artfully  conceals  the  definition  of  murder,  and,  to  give 
the  deception  the  greater  force,  he  profanely  quotes 
the  texts  of  scripture  before  mentioned,  to  counte- 
nance, if  not  an  assertion,  at  least  a  disingenuous  im- 
plication, that  Pennsylvania  does  not  punish  murder 
v.-ith  death,  equal  to  what  is  required  by  the  law  of 
God,  but  takes  satisfaction  for  murder,  which  they  do 
not  do. 

I  am  justified  in  saying,  that  though  the  author 
has,  in  numerous  instances,  discovered  want  of  can- 
dour, or  that  he  wrote  without  due  information,  or 
understanding  the  subject,  this  is  a  case  that  admks 


312  OBSERVATIONS  OW 

of  no  apology ;  in  no  case  does  the  author's  want  of 
candour  appear  more  flagrant,  than  in  this  instance. 
How  flatly  contrary  to  the  law  of  God  is  his  perver- 
sion of  truth  and  candour,  in  order  to  deceive  others, 
and  disturb  the  public  peace. 

If  any  should  think  the  above  too  severe,  I  ask, 
Is  there  not  a  cause  ?  There  is  cause  sufficient  in  the 
statement  of  the  case,  which  is  aggravated  by  the  ef- 
fects it  has  had. 

But  it  is  not  in  this  instance  alone  that  the  author 
seditiously  slanders  the  government  and  people  of 
the  United  States.  This  is  done  in  a  lesser  or  greater 
degree  in  every  one  of  his  seven  reasons  why  he  can- 
not homologate  our  governments.  Besides  the  case 
last  noticed,  every  instance  in  which  he  calls  them 
immoral  and  illegitimate,  f.  e.  bastard  governments,  is 
a  slander.  None  had  ever  any  claim  on  us  but  Great 
Britain,  by  which  we  were  indeed  considered  as  ille- 
gitimate or  bastard  governments,  while  deemed  by 
them  in  a  state  of  rebellion. ,  But  since  that  question 
was  decided  in  favour  of  the  United  States,  Britain 
herself,  and  all  other  nations,  have,  and  do,  acknow- 
ledge and  treat  with  them  as  legitimate  moral  go- 
vernments ;  and  at  a  time  when  all  the  governments 
of  Europe  have  been  charging  each  other  with  im- 
morality, &c.  the  United  States  escape  clear  from  any 
such  charge,  except  from  the  author. 

In  page  69,  he  supposes  us  to  object — "  But  you 
make  use  of  the  money  which  receives  its  currency 
from  their  sanction ;  and  you  support  them  by  paying 
tribute,  &c.  Why  not  swear  allegiance,  hold  offi- 
ces," &c. 


THK   TWO   SON'S   OF  OIL.  113 

Vis  he  answers,  "We  make  use  of  the  mo- 
ney, to  be  sure,  but  when  we  ijfive  an  equivalent  for 
it,  by  industry  or  -  ur  own  • 

and,  another  man's  su  uumr  upon  our  coats, 

is  no  reason  why  we  should  throw  them  away." 

.  contemptible  sophistry  i  What  analogy  is 
there  between  one  individual  stumping  his  name  on 
another  man's  coat,  to  claim  a  currency  to  it,  and  the 
giving  currency  to  n.cney  ?  This  is  one  of  the  high- 
est sovcieign  acts  of  government.  It  is  authorised  by 
law,  and,  in  monarchies,  stamped  with  the  image  and 
superscription  of  the  sovereign  In  republics  it  is 
stamped  as  authorised  according  to  law,  otherwise  it 
is  not  money.  The  laws  of  the  United  States  have 
authorised  a  particular  coinage  of  their  own,  and 
adopted  by  law  some  foreign  coins,  to  which  they 
have  affixed  a  legal  value,  and  for  which  it  shall  pass. 
Uoth  are  money  by  the  sovereign  authority,  and  not 
like  an  unauthorised  individual  stamping  his  name  on 
another  man's  coat. 

I  !••  adds  :  "It  must  be  granted,  also,  that  we  do 
support  them,  by  paying  tribute,  &c.  So  do  we  the 
robber,  unto  whom  we  give  a  part,  to  save  the  re- 
mainder. But  will  it,  therefore,  follow,  that  I  may  le- 
gally swear  allegiance  to  him,  or  become  one  of  his 
officers  in  the  business  of  robbery  and  plunder!" 

Another  wonderful  illustration,  by  which  the  Ame- 
rican governments  are  designated  rubber*.  Did  ever 
the  American  government  rob  any  man  ?  No.  The 
very  insinuation  of  this  is  a  seditious  slander.  The 
author  knew  that  the  sedition  law  was  repealed  be- 
fore he  wrote  his  book,  but  the  same  authority  can 
renew  it  again.  Robbers,  if  ever  they  are  so  gene- 


214  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

rous  as  not  to  take  all,  give  no  equivalent  for  what 
they  take.  For  what  small  tribute  the  author  pays 
in  this  state,  which  goes  wholly  to  making  roads 
and  bridges,  or  for  court  houses,  courts,  8cc.  the  pro- 
tection and  accommodation  of  which  the  author  and 
all  aliens  enjoy,  as  fully  and  freely  as  citizens  do,  is  a 
full  and  ample  equivalent,  which  they  accept  of,  and 
enjoy.  They  pay  no  direct  tax  for  the  expense  of  the 
civil  government  of  the  state — this  is  paid  out  of  ano- 
ther fund,  which  arose  from  the  state  doing  more 
than  her  share  during  the  distressing  period  of  the 
war  with  Britain ;  of  this,  the  hard  earnings  of  the 
citizens,  in  other  times,  the  author,  &x.  enjoy  their 
proportion,  without  any  equivalent,  and  they  pay  none 
to  support  the  federal  government.  In  England,  from 
which  we  have  copied  much  of  our  jurisprudence, 
allegiance  is  divided  into  two  kinds,  namely,  the  na- 
tural allegiance  of  natives,  which  they  consider  as 
perpetual,  and  the  local  and  temporary  allegiance, 
which  is  incidental  to  aliens.  We  have  required  hi- 
therto only  this  last,  for  we  have  as  yet  made  no  law 
against  expatriation,  either  of  native  or  alien,  but  free- 
ly protect  aliens ,  without  their  giving  allegiance.  I 
have  already  shewn  that  all  approved  commentators 
on  the  Bible,  or  on  civil  and  common  law,  and  all  mo- 
ral and  political  writers,  consider  it  a  first  principle, 
or  established  moral  maxim,  that  protection  necessa- 
rily draws  allegiance—that  they  are  morally  connect- 
ed together — that  they  cannot  be  separated.  This  be- 
ing the  case,  I  recommend  to  the  author  to  examine 
the  questions  over  again,  on  more  correct  moral 
principles.  In  so  doing,  he  will  find  he  has  been  mis- 
taken ;  that  the  state  has  not  robbed  them ;  that  it  has 


THE  TWO   SO5»  OF  OIL.  315 

received  nothing  but  for  an  ample  equivalent ;  that  it 
did  not  seize  their  persons  to  bring  them  within  their 
power,  nor  fiut  them  in  fear,  nor  take  from  thc?n,  in  thi* 
tituation,  money  or  goods.  This  is  the  legal  technical 
definition  of  robbery.  He  will  find  also,  from  his  own 
statement,  that  those  whose  cause  he  advocates,  in- 
truded themselves  within  our  territory,  enjoyed  pro- 
tection to  their  persons  and  property?  and  to  their  in- 
dustry in  acquiring  property — And  by  his  advice  re- 
fuse allegiance,  the  only  moral  return  for  those  very 
valuable  benefits  ;  but  instead  thereof  spurn  at  the 
hand  that  received  them  when  they  were  strangers, 
and  fed  and  protected  them  without  receiving  the 
equivalent,  which  the  law  of  nature,  and  nature's  God 
requires.  If  he  does  this  impartially,  he  will  certainly 
be  convinced  that  he  has  cast  the  charge  of  robbery 
on  the  wrong  side — that  by  the  decision  of  the  moral 
law,  himself,  and  those  whom  he  advocates,  are  the 
robbers,  in  receiving  protection  without  an  equivalent, 
and  not  the  government,  from  whom  they  have  expe- 
rienced protection  and  forbearance,  but  no  violence. 
He  certainly  would  be  convinced  of  the  fallaciousness 
and  indecency  of  his  next  illustration  in  the  same 
page: 

u  Should  a  robber  meet  me  on  the  high  way,  and, 
upon  finding  that  I  had  no  money,  put  his  bayonet  to 
my  breast;  and  should  it  appear  evidently,  that  he  in- 
tended to  kill  me,  unless  I  would  solemnly  engage  to 
take,  or  send  him,  a  certain  sum  of  money,  in  a  given 
time,  say  fifty  dollars,  ought  I  not  to  comply  ?" 

This,  as  an  abstract  question,  has  been  decided 
Differently  by  casuists,  but  what  lias  it  to  do  with  the 
United  States  i  Did  they  act  the  part  of  robbers  in 


216  OBSERVATIONS  OK 

such  a  mannner  as  he  describes  ?  The  insinuation  is 
a  slander,  too  absurd  and  too  ridiculous  to  require 
further  notice. 

His  fifteenth  supposed  objection  is:  "  But  you  are 
mostly  aliens,  and  have  no  business  with  our  govern- 
mental affairs."  This  is  an  objection  of  his  own  fram- 
ing. No  country  in  the  world  has  received  aliens  with 
more  freedom,  nor  admitted  them  to  the  participation 
of  all  their  privileges  with  more  liberality.  But  we 
will  hear  his  own  reply  to  it. 

"Admitting  that  we  were  all  aliens,  what  does 
this  prove  ?  '  The  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulness 
thereof.' — Ps.  xxiv.  1.  We  are  moral  subjects  of  the 
Lord  of  the  whole  earth.  While  we  maintain  true  and 
faithful  allegiance  to  him,  and  conscientiously  obey 
his  laws,  we  have  a  right  to  live  in  any  part  of  his 
dominions,  where,  in  his  providence,  he  may  please 
to  cast  our  lots.  We  ought  not  to  infringe  upon  any  of 
the  rights  of  others,  See.  We  meddle  not  with  your 
governmental  affairs,  farther  than  their  morality  or 
immorality  is  concerned.  We  have  a  right  to  give  our 
opinion.  We  do  so,  and  the  reasons  on  which  it  is 
founded." 

How  are  we  to  understand  the  author?  Does  he 
profess  to  come  with  a  divine  mission  ?  Let  him  then 
shew  the  proofs  of  his  apostleship.  He  contradicts  the 
most  explicit  language^  of  the  apostles  of  Christ,  and 
of  the  law  of  Moses,  which  he  professes  to  substitute 
for  the  moral  law,  as  has  been  already  shewn.  That  he 
patronizes  a  practice,  and  practises  himself,  totally 
repugnant  to  the  practices  of  the  patriarchs,  the  pro- 
phets, Christ  and  his  apostles,  the  primitive  Christians, 
the  witnesses  during-  the  dark  ages,  the  ins  'tyrs  and 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  217 

reformers,  has  been  heretofore  shewn.  He  ought  to 
work  greater  miracles  than  any  of  these  have  done, 
before  he  succeeds  in  overturning  their  doctrines,  and 
condemning  their  practice.  The  moral  law  being  ad- 
dressed to  every  individual  (or,  to  use  the  author's 
words,  "  every  man  necessarily  possesses  it")  and  the 
gospel,  both  in  its  promises  and  precepts,  as  well  as 
the  instructive  examples  it  records — these  are  address- 
ed to  the  people  of  the  United  States,  as  well  as 
others,  and  they  have  received  from  God  the  same 
powers  of  reason  and  judgment  as  other  men,  and  arc 
equally  accountable  to  him  for  the  exercise  of  it. 

Though  the  earth,  with  dominion  over  the  crea- 
tures, be  given  in  a  general  grant  to  the  human  fami- 
ly, yet  that  it  is  not  so  given  to  be  held  in  common 
but  to  be  distributed  according  to  certain  established 
rules,  is  evident  from  scripture,  reason,  and  the  his- 
tory of  nations.  This  distribution  is  of  two  kinds — na- 
tional and  individual.  The  property  of  all  the  indivi- 
duals which  compose  the  nation,  is  the  property  of 
the  government  of  the  nation,  so  fur  as  is  necessary 
to  provide  for  its  protection  against  the  claims  or  in- 
n  of  other  nations,  robbers  or  intruders  ;  but  it  is 
distributed  and  appropriated  to  individuals,  in  such 
proportions,  and  subject  to  such  rules,  as  the  laws  of 
cadi  nation  prescribe.  This  is  essentially  necessary 
to  civil  society,  agriculture,  kc.  No  alien  nor  foreign- 
er has  any  right  to  intrude  himself,  or  interfere  with 
the  i  aud  enjoyments  of  the  nation  or  indivi- 

duals, further  or  otherwise  than  the  Jaw  of  the  nation 
authorises. 

one  exception  to  this  rule.    If  by  provi- 
dential distress  through  shipwreck,  or  any  other  una- 
T 


218  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

voidable  cause,  strangers  are  left  on  our  territory,  we 
must  treat  them  with  hospitality,  and  protect  them 
until  they  have  an  opportunity  to  return  to  their  own 
country.  This  is  a  moral  duty,  binding  individuals  as 
well  as  nations  ;  any  thing  further  depends  on  moral 
discretion.  In  the  positive  institution  of  government 
given  to  Israel,  they  are  enjoined  to  be  kind  to  the 
stranger — but  it  was  provided  that  strangers,  under 
that  law,  could  never  hold  land  in  fee  simple.  The 
land  was  entailed  to  the  Israelites  and  their  families 
in  an  unalienable  perpetuity ;  it  could  not  even  be 
mortgaged  but  for  a  very  short  period;  therefore,  un- 
der that  law,  strangers  could  never  hold  real  property, 
nor  were  they  assured  of  liberty.  In  the  very  prospe- 
rous times  of  Israel,  numerous  strangers  resorted  to 
them  ;  king  David  had  numbered  them,  for  what  pur- 
pose we  are  not  informed,  but  Solomon  made  them 
slaves  to  the  public  soon  after  his  father's  death. 
When  he  began  to  build  the  temple,  he  put  fourscore 
thousand  of  them  to  be  hewers  in  the  mountains,  and 
threescore  and  ten  thousand  to  be  bearers  of  burthens, 
and  three  thousand  six  hundred  to  be  overseers  to  set 
the  people  to  work — 2  Chron.  ii.  17,  18.  The  gospel 
teaches  not  to  be  neglectful  to  entertain  strangers  ; 
but  no  law  obliges  states  to  encourage  aliens  volun- 
tarily to  settle  among  them.  This  depends  on  the  dis- 
cretion of  the  civil  society.  If  they  followed  the  exam- 
ple of  Solomon,  they  would  employ  them  in  public 
works. 

The  author,  indeed,  claims  a  right  to  live  in  any 
part  of  his  (God's)  dominions,  where  in  his  provi- 
dence he  may  please  to  order  his  lot.  This  he  claims 
from  his  conscientious  faithfulness  to  Christ  Jesus. 


TKK  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  lit 

Paul  was  as  confident  as  the  author,  while  he  was 
under  the  influence  of  an  erring  conscience.  But  how 
did  providence  order  their  lot  so  as  to  claim  indepen- 
dent rights  ?  Were  they  cast  on  our  shores  by  ship- 
wreck, or  were  they  specially  commissioned  by  God  ? 
If  in  either  these  ways,  they  can  shew  the  proofs  cf 
it.  But  if  they  came  voluntarily,  to  better  their  world- 
ly condition,  they  derive  no  more  claim  from  provi- 
:al  protection  in  this  case,  than  the  man  who  en- 
joys providential  protection  in  the  act  of  robbing  or 
stealing.  Most  nations  hold  their  lands  by  prescrip- 
tive possession,  from  times  unknown  or  uncertain. 
The  United  States  alone  hold  theirs  by  fair  moral 
purchase.  What  the  inhabitants  had  not  formerly  pur- 
chased from  the  proprietor  of  Pennsylvania,  the  legis- 
lature purchased  from  him  during  the  revolution,  for 
130,000/.  which  was  honestly  paid,  as  well  as  the  In- 
dian rights,  which  they  afterwards  purchased.  The 
United  States  purchased  from  Ikiuin,  by  treaty,  ill 
lieu  of  the  expenses  and  depredations  of  the  war,  to 
which  near  g3,000,000  were  added  by  an  after  treaty. 
Their  claim  to  a  pre-emption  of  the  Indiana  territory, 
the  proceeds  of  which  they  appropriated  to  pay  the 
debts  of  the  war,  which  it  is  never  likely  to  amount 
to — it  has  not  yet  amounted  to  sufficient  to  pay  the 
expenses  accrued  by  purchasing  the  actual  rights 
from  Indians,  and  annuities  engaged  to  them,  and  the 
surveying,  protection,  Sec.  The  New-Orleans,  Sec.  wiu 
purchased,  in  order  to  get  a  peaceable  outlet  to  the 
ocean,  for  g  15,000,000,  and  the  rights  of  the  inhabi- 
tants secured.  In  short,  no  nation  can  shew  such  a 
fair  moral  right  of  property  to  the  territory  they 

They  hold  none  by  conquest;  they  did  not  e\cu 


220  OBSBRYATIONS  ON 

avail  themselves  of  the  right  of  conquest  from  the 
Indians,  though  they  were  twice  subdued  ;  but  pur- 
chased from  them  at  a  fair  price,  only  when  they 
chose  to  sell,  and  add  an  annuity  to  make  it  their  in- 
terest to  continue  at  peace.  Yet  the  author,  8cc.  who 
he  says  are  aliens,  invalidate  our  title.  I  would  not 
have  distinguished  aliens,  if  he  had  not  introduced 
them  with  a  superior  claim,  independent  of  the  go- 
vernment. 

No  nation  ever  had,  or  can  have,  a  clearer  moral 
title  to  their  territory,  than  the  United  States.  The 
foundation  of  civil  government  is  laid  on  the  law  of 
nature,  and  all  approved  commentators  agree  that  the 
fifth  commandment  contains  an  abstract  of  all  relative, 
duties  among  men,  as  all  other  relations  flow  from 
the  relation  of  parents  and  children,  or  partake  in  a 
certain  degree  of  its  nature.  Nations,  like  families, 
have  their  rules  and  rights.  It  is  my  moral  duty  to 
receive  into  ray  family,  and  relieve  a  stranger  in  dis- 
tress. But  if  he  sows  sedition  in  my  family,  and  says  I 
have  no  moral  right  to  govern  it — that,  therefore,  even 
my  lawful  commands  ought  not  to  be  obeyed  ;  that  by- 
enforcing  them  for  the  support  of  the  family,  I  act 
the  part  of  a  robber  with  my  bayonet  at  his  breast,  Sec. 
I  certainly  have  a  right,  and  it  is  my  duty,  to  refuse 
to  continue  to  support  him  in  my  family.  This  is  just 
the  case  with  civil  government,  with  respect  to  sedi- 
tious and  slanderous  aliens,  and  they  have  the  fur- 
ther right,  for  the  peace  of  the  citizens,  to  punish 
them. 

If  our  government  has  no  moral  right  to  govern, 
it  has  no  moral  right  to  hold  or  dispose  of  land,  to 
coin  money,  take  legal  testimony,  or  make  decisions 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF   OIL.  221 

in  law  ;  nor  the  citizens  who  hold  land  under  warrants 
or  patents  from  the  government,  to  hold  them,  nor  to 
transfer  them  to  others,  nor  others  to  hold  it  under 
such  transfer — testimony  taken  or  decisions  made  un- 
der immoral  authority  and  laws,  cannot  be  valid.  The 
author  and  his  aliens,  however,  appear  to  have  made 
or  found  a  new  moral  law,  suited  to  their  own  conve- 
nience, to  justify  them  in  taking  all  the  benefits  of 
rnment,  and  refusing  the  corresponding  reluiivo 
clinics  enjoined  by  divine  authority.  If  the  government 
is  in-.-.jioral,  uli  its  official  acts  are  so  likewise;  not 
only  its  grants  of  land,  judicial  decisions,  Sec.  but  even 
"us  protection  of  the  aliens  must  also  be  immoral. 

The  author  (p.  69)  in  his  ninth  supposed  objec- 
tion— for  he  makes  the  objections,  which  he  means  to 
Jf,  to  his  own  mind — says,  "You  suc.tr 
.tered  by  them,   and  hold  deeds  of  land, 
.  .ilidity   rests    entirely    upon  their  sanc- 
tion." 

to  follow  the  author  through  his  metaphysical 
refu.'  ..bout  oaths  and  deeds,  I  will  inform  him, 

that  a  il-  no  title  in  law,   further  than  it  is 

founded  on  an  original  grant  from  the  government, 
ami  finally  confirmed  by  its  patent.  Is  it  possible  that 
the  author  has  wrote  with  so  little  information,  as  not 
to  know  that  a  deed  is  a  conveyance,  from  one  citizen 
to  another,  of  his  own  right  to  the  thing  conveyed  ; 
but  taut  a  patent,  is  the  transfer  from  the  go\ 
mem  itself,  and  that  unless  founded  on  this,  as  ill 
ed  by  law,  all  deeds  are  a  nullity  ;  and  that  so  arc  all 
testimonies  taken  on  oath  otherwise,  or  by  other  au- 
thority, than  the  government  authorises.  An  oath,  not 
taken  as  the  law  directs,  is  no  lawful  testimony.  A 
T  2 


222  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

man  may  commit  perjury,  for  which  lie  is  accounta- 
ble to  God,  but  not  to  a  municipal  court,  which  did 
not  require  or  authorize  such  testimony ;  but  if 
proved,  it  will  prevent  the  person  thus  perjured  in  the 
tight  of  God,  from  being  admitted  as  a  witness  there- 
after in  any  court,  because  it  affects  his  moral  cha- 
racter. Therefore,  infallible  in  his  judgment,  and  im- 
mense in  his  knowledge,  as  the  author  represents 
himself  to  be,  every  deed  for  land  which  he  or  his 
friends  purchase,  depends  for  its  validity  on  the  mo- 
ral authority  of  the  government  under  which  it  is  held. 
If  it  has  no  moral  right  to  grant  it,  they  have  no  mo- 
ral right  to  hold  the  grant ;  and  that  what  they  re- 
ceive as  money,  in  this  or  any  other  country,  is  mo- 
ney, no  further  than  the  government  has  made  it  so. 
That  counterfeiting  it  would  subject  him  to  the  pe- 
nalty of  death,  but  not  to  the  more  severe  penalty  of 
treason,  as  in  Britain,  from  whence  he  came.  This 
being  the  doctrine  of  the  moral  law,  that  an  oath, 
without  acknowledging  the  authority  of  the  magis- 
trate, is  no  testimony,  and  of  the  municipal  law  of  all 
civilized  nations,  and  the  law  between  civilized  na- 
tions and  the  citizens  of  each,  and  consequently  the 
law  of  God,  agreeably  to  his  former  decisions. 

I  will  here  take  a  concise  notice  of  his  fourteenth 
objection,  likewise,  I  presume,  of  his  own  making, 
namely- — "  But  the  constitution  makes  provision  for 
its  own  amendment,"  Sec.  He  answers,  "  The  repre- 
sentatives must  take  an  oath  to  support  the  constitu- 
tion.  This  oath  we  have  formally  shewn  to  be  im- 
moral," Sec. 

What !  is  it  really  immoral  to  give  the  security  of 
an  oath  to  act  agreeable  to  the  law  of  nature,  which 


THE  TWO  S0!f3  OF  OIL.  221 

he  author  has  assured  MS  every  man  possesses,  and 
which  obliges  all  men,  and  all  governments,  to  pur- 
sue their  own  happiness  ?  Is  it  immoral  to  support 
the  social  compact,  until  it  is  by  common  consent  re- 
vised ?  Is  it  immoral  to  engage  to  support  the  go- 
vernment, while  it  protects  you?  If  so,  he  should  have 
recourse  to  such  *  government  as  that  of  the  Medes 
and  Persians  formerly  was,  who  affecting  to  be  gods, 
and  infallible,  could  not  revise  their  own  most  iniqui- 
tous decrees,  not  even  to  save  Daniel  from  the  lions, 
c  Jews  from  massacre.  In  this  instance  he  ob- 
jects to  one  of  the  best  principles  of  the  government, 
and  the  most  agreeable  to  the  moral  law  of  nature. 
In  page  71  he  has  objected  to  the  voice  of  the  majo- 
-leciding  on  governmental  affairs,  without  inform- 
ing i  ise  decision  we  shall  have  recourse,  in 
cases.  We  know,  from  what  is  before  noticed, 
he  prefers  the  decision  of  a  despot,  such  as  Ne- 
buchadnezzar was  (p.  64)  to  the  decision  of  a  repub- 
lican government.  With  these  principles,  he  ought 
not  to  hu\  rn  in  a  republican  govern- 
ment, whose  principles,  agreeable  to  the  advice  of  the 
apostle,  is,  "  ii  ossible,  to  live  peaceably  uith 
all  men." 

I  have  [>  •  cr  some  of  the  author's  objec- 

to  ihc  <M>\  en/.'u-ius  (J' the  United  Si:«t«-s,  think- 
ing them  so  evidently  unfounded,  as  not  to  require 
notice;  but  unders  hey  had  weight  with  some, 

I  will  give  them  a  brief  review. 

In  page  4?,  he  says,  "  The  good  people  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  concentered  by  rt  presen- 
tation in  the  senatorial  council  and  cliicf  magistrate, 
disclaimed  the  religion  of  Jesus,  and  cast  away  the 


324  OBSERVATIONS    ON 

cords  of  the  Lord's  anointed,  in  the  ratification  of  the 
treaty  of  peace  and  friendship  with  the  Bey  of  Tripoli ! 

"  The  AYnerican  plenipotentiary  availed  himself 
of  it,  as  an  important  circumstance  in  the  article  of 
negociation,  that  the  American  government  was  not 
predicated  upon  the  Christian  religion ;  and,  conse- 
quently, a  government  that  the  bey  might  safely  treat 
with.  Take  it  in  the  words  of  the  treaty  itself.  <  The 
government  of  the  United  States  of  America,  is  not, 
in  any  sense,  founded  on  the  Christian  religion.  It 
has,  in  itself,  no  character  of  enmity  against  the  laws 
and  religion  of  Mussulmen.'  And,  what  is  further 
worthy  of  notice,  by  the  sixth  article  of  the  federal 
constitution,  this  treaty  is  made  the  supreme  law  of 
the  land  !  Must  it  not  be  dishonouring  to  Christ,"  Sec. 

The  constitution  does  not  say  this  treaty  alone  ; 
as,  by  way  of  eminence,  it  says,  "  all  treaties  that  are 
made,  or  that  shall  be  made  hereafter,  shall  be  the 
supreme  law,"  8cc.  What  he  has  quoted  as  the  treaty, 
is  no  article  of  it.  It  stipulates  nothing  to  be  perform- 
ed on  either  side,  nor  any  engagement  of  any  kind ; 
therefore  the  senate  did  not  ratify  it.  They  only  rati- 
fied, or  could  ratify,  the  treaty  or  mutual  engagements. 
If  these  were  agreeable  to  the  instructions  given  to 
the  minister,  the  senate  was  morally  bound  to  ratify 
it ;  and  they  were  morally  bound  to  redeem  our  cap- 
tives from  the  most  cruel  slavery  and  death,  with  as 
little  delay  as  possible.  The  words  quoted  by  the  au- 
thor are  inserted  by  the  neg.jciator  as  the  preamble  to 
the  treaty,  at  his  own  discretion.  It  is  not  easy  to  be- 
lieve, that  the  author  was  so  badly  informed  as  not  to 
know  that  the  formal  preamble,  or  introduction,  to  a 
treaty  or  law,  is  no  obligatory  part  or  article  of  the 


THE  TWO  SONS  Of   OIL.  225 

treaty  or  law  itself.  If  he  was  so,  any  attorney  or  mem- 
of  a  legislature  could  hu"e    informed  him.     He 
mai;  solemn  league  and  covenant  to  be  bind- 

ing on  this  country,  but  surely  he  will  not  say  that  the 
introductory  preamble  to  it,  descriptive  only  of  the 
character  of  the  parties  contemplated  to  be  engaged 
in  it,  and  not  at  all  of  the  then  colonies,  is  an  article 
of  the  covenant,  and  binding  on  this  country.  The 
's  quoted  by  the  author  are  in  like  manner  de- 
scriptive of  the  character  of  the  United  States,  given 
by  the  negotiator,  who  had  himself  suffered  long  and 
cruel  slavery  in  Algiers,  where  he  saw  the  exit  of 
many  of  his  fellow  captives.  He  well  knew  the  long 
rooted  and  deadly  enmity  that  still  subsisted  between 
the  Barbary  powers  and  the  Christians,  on  or  near  the 
Mediterranean  coast,  viz.  bincc  the  inhuman  persecu- 
tion, robbery  and  expulsion  of  the  Moors  from  Spain, 
Portugal,  8cc.  and  their  barbarous  treatment  from  the 
inquisition.  At  that  period,  the  king  j>f  Spain  reigning 
over  a^reat  proportion  of  Italy  also,  was  the  most 
formidable  power  in  Europe  ;  but  Spain  has  ever  since 
rapidly  declined  in  population  and  power.  The  Bar- 
bary powers  have  sometimes  made  a  short  truce  with 
them,  but  no  treaty  of  peace.  They  are  all  popish 
powers,  and  it  is  from  these  the  character  of  Chris- 
tian governments  are  taken  by  the  Barbai  y  powers  ; 
to  avoid  this  prejudice,  well  known  tu  the  negocia- 
tor,  he  stated  this  character. 

•Articles  of  the  treaty  were  latified,  our  cap- 
tives ransomed,  and  the  treaty  faithfully  fulfilled  on 
our  pan ;  but  the  negociator  was  recalled,  and  not 
since  d.  On  the  first  breach  of  the  treaty  by 

Tripoli,   the  United  States  renounced  it  and  went  to 


32S  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

war,  which  produced  the  release  of  other  captives, 
and  another  treaty,  to  which  no  such  preamble  was 
annexed.  This  is  a  plain  statement  of  facts.  It  re- 
mains with  the  candid  reader  to  judge  if  this  was 
"  disclaiming  the  religion  of  Jesus,  and  casting  away 
the  cords  of  the  Lord's  anointed,"  by  the  United 
States,  in  their  representative  character.  If  it  does, 
what  does  the  author's  setting  the  crown  of  Christ's 
kingdom,  which  is  not  of  this  world,  on  the  head  of  a 
mortal  man,  viz.  a  prince  of  this  world,  with  the  same 
power  exclusively  to  ratify  and  sanction  the  laws  of 
the  most  high  God,  as  he  has  with  respect  to  civil 
laws,  amount  to  ?  The  government  of  the  United 
States  recalled  their  ambassador,  and  did  not  employ 
him  again,  though  he  had  suffered  and  done  much  in 
their  service  ;  and  they,  in  making  a  new  treaty,  re- 
nounced the  supposed  offensive  introduction.  Can- 
dour would  have  thought  this  a  sufficient  atonement 
for  error,  if  it  was  one ;  but  the  author  passes  this 
unnoticed.  So  much  for  matter  of  fact.  I  will  no\r 
give  my  own  opinion. 

If  the  Saviour  is  correct  in  testifying  that  his  king- 
dom was  not  of  this  world,  and  practising  accordingly 
during  the  whole  course  of  his  ministry,  and  the  apos- 
tles guided  immediately  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  sup- 
porting that  testimony,  both  by  their  practice  and 
doctrine,  1  cannot  find  wherein  th£  honest  old  sea- 
man has  greatly  erred.  Wherein  does  the  mighty- 
error  consist  ?  It  is  according  to  the  author,  in  saying 
that  the  "  American  government  was  not  predicated 
upon  the  Christian  religion,  and  consequently  a  go- 
vernment that  the  bey  might  sufcly  treat  with." — Or 
that  "  the  government  of  the  United  States  is  not,  in 


THt  TWO   SONS   0»  OIL. 

any  sense,  founded  on  the  Christian  religion.  It  has  in 
itself  no  character  of  enmity  against  the  laws  and  re- 
ligion of  Mussulmen." 

Honest  old  captain  O'Brien,  the  negociator,  might 
have  been  wrong,  in  point  of  expedience,  in  speaking 
at  all  on  this  subject  j  but  supposing  it  was  neces- 
sary that  he  should  speak  as  the  patriarchs  in  Egypt 
did,  in  telling  they  had  a  younger  brother,  at  which 
their  good  father  Jacob  was  grieved,  what  should  he 
have  said  ?  Suppose  he  had  answered  more  to  the  au- 
thor's mind,  viz.  that  the  government  of  the  United 
States  was  predicated  on  the  Christian  religion,  and 
<  ssed  enmity  to  the  government  of  Mussulmen," 
&c.  In  so  doing  he  would  have  told  a  lie,  and  scanda- 
lized the  Christian  religion.  Whoever  says  that  any 
civil  government  atecl  on  the  Christian  reli- 

gion, in  so  far  contradicts  the  dying  testimony  of  the 
divine  Jesus,  declaring  that  his  kingdom  was  not  of 
this  world.  Civil  governments  being  founded  on  the 
moral  law  of  nature,  can  lawfully  possess  no  enmity 
against  other  governments  founded  on  the  same  law. 

We  are  not  well  got  over  one  objection,  not  only 
to  the  defects  of  our  government,  but  to  its  moral  ex- 
istence, till  we  meet  with  another.  Page  49 — "  The 
major  pait  of  the  states  recognize  the  principle  of 
slavery,  some  partially,  and  others  without  yet  taking 
any  btcps  tow,  .Volition. 

ange  it  is,  indeed,  that  in  a  land  of  such  ' 
ed  liberty,  such  horrid  inhumanity  should  be  tolerated  1 
It  is  contrary  to  the  declaration  of  independence,  and 

most  of  the  state  constitutions. Is  it  not  strangely 

inconsistent,  that  the  con&litutiou,  the  paramount  law 


258  OBSERVATIONS  OK 

of  the  land,  should  declare  all  men  to  be  free,  and  the 
laws,  pretended  to  be  constitutional,  doom  a  certain 
portion  of  them  to  hopeless  bondage,  and  subject  them 
to  the  wanton  barbarity  of  savage  and  inhuman  mas- 
ters, who,  in  many  instances,  treat  their  brutes  with 

more  tenderness? Indeed,  it  is  too  shocking    to 

find  advocates  among  any,  but  those  whose  conscience 

is    seared    with   a  hot    iron. But,    supposing  the 

Scripture  silent  on  the  subject,  it  is  even  impolitical 
and  dangerous.  What  interest  has  the  man,  whom  I 
unjustly  detain,  to  work  for  me,  seeing  he  receives 
scarcely  any  other  compensation  for  his  labour,  than  a 
hungry  belly  and  hard  blows?  By  what  tie  is  he 
bound  to  spare  my  life,  seeing  I  rob  him  of  that  which 
is  dearer  than  life  itself? -Of  this  barbarous  traf- 
fic, the  judicatories  of  our  church  have  given  their 
pointed  disapprobation,  and  all  approving  of,  or  en- 
gaging in  it,  are  excluded  her  communion." 

Strange,  astonishingly  strange,  indeed,  to  hear  an 
author,  who  is  the  avowed  champion  for  the  moral 
obligation  of  the  judicial  law,  declaim  against  slavery 
in  such  terms.  That  law,  the  perpetual  and  universal 
obligation  of  which  he  advocates,  as  binding  on  all 
nations,  at  least  on  all  Christian  nations,  even  to  put- 
ting them  to  death  for  the  breach  of  it,  says,  "  Both 
thy  bondmen  and  thy  handmaids,  which  thou  shalt 
have,  shall  be  of  the  heathens  that  are  round  about 
you  ;  and  of  them  shall  you  buy  bondmen  and  hand- 
maids. Moreover,  of  the  strangers  that  sojourn  among 
you,  of  them  shall  ye  buy,  and  of  their  families  that 
are  with  you,  which  they  beget  in  your  land,  and  they 
shall  be  your  possession  :  and  ye  shall  take  them  as 


THE  TWO   SONS  OF  OIL.  229 

an  inheritance  for  your  children  after  you,  to  inherit 
them  for  a  possession.  They  shall  be  your  bondmen 
forever." 

The  above,  if  the  law  of  Moses  is,  agreeably  to  the 
in  of  the  author,  to  be  divided  into  judicial  and 
ceremonial,  cannot  belong  to  the  ceremonial  part.  11 
was  a  civil  regulation,  and  unalterable.  It  could  not 
be  changed  while  that  system  continued.  The  master 
probably  might  set  his  bond  servants,  i.  c.  slaves,  or 
their  children,  free,  if  he  pleased  ;  but  the  govern- 
ment could  not  interpose  to  set  them  free,  nor  to 
protect  them  from  violence  and  oppression,  n<<r 
avenge  even  their  murder  on  their  master.  They  were 
the  inheritance  of  their  children  forever.  They  were 
not,  however,  to  be  of  their  brethren,  but  of  the  hea- 
then around  them,  and  of  the  strangers,  viz.  aliens 
that  sojourn  among  them.  Of  those  Solomon  took 
153,600  for  servants  to  be  carriers  of  burthens  and 
hewers  of  timber  for  the  temple  and  his  other  build- 
ings. Now  this  law  is  neither  repealed  nor  mitigated 
in  the  New  Testament,  otherwise  than  by  the  whole 
peculiar  law  of  Moses  being  abolished.  It  is  not  only 
not  repealed,  but  servants,  viz.  slaves,  are  strictly  en- 
joined "  to  be  obedient  to  their  own  masters,  not  only 
to  the  good  and  gentle,  but  even  to  the  froward.  Let 
as  many  servants  as  are  under  the  yoke  count  their 
own  masters  worthy  of  all  honour,  that  the  name  of 
God  and  his  doctrine  be  not  blasphemed.  And  they 
that  have  believing  masters,  let  them  not  despise 
them." — 1  Tim.  vi.  12.  Paul  the  apostle,  sending 
Onesimus  back  to  his  master,  reduced  this  doctrine  to 
practice.  In  writing  to  the  Corinthians,  he  tells  those 
U 


230  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

under  the  yoke  of  slavery,  art  thou  called,  being  a  ser- 
vant, care  not  for  *Y,  8cc. 

The  author  says — "Of  this  barbarous  traffic  the 
judicatories  of  our  church  have  given  their  pointed 
disapprobation ;  and  all  approving  of,  or  engaging  in 
it,  are  excluded  her  communion." 

How  strangely  inconsistent  is  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wylie. 
By  what  authority  have  the  judicatories  of  his  church 
excluded  slave-holders,  and  all  approvers  of  it,  from 
their  communion  ?  If  this  has  any  relation  to  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  they  have  virtually  excluded  Job, 
Abraham,  and  all  the  patriarchs,  acting  under  the 
moral  law  of  nature,  aided  by  occasional  revelations 
from  heaven.  They  have  likewise  excluded  Moses, 
and  all  who  obeyed  the  law  given  by  him,  and  also 
the  apostles  and  the  primitive  church  ;  but  what  is 
still  more  extraordinary,  they  have  virtually  excluded 
Constantine  and  the  council  of  Nice,  a;id  the  other 
orthodox  emperors,  and  his  standard  eumenical  coun- 
cils. They  have,  in  fact,  added  a  condition  of  holding 
communion  with  God,  in  his  ordinances,  which  Christ 
and  his  apostles  never  enjoined.  May  they  not  as  well 
institute  a  new  ordinance,  or  sacrament?  Surely  it 
requires  the  same  divine  authority  to  institute  an  in- 
dispensable condition  of  holding  communion  with 
God,  in  an  ordinance,  that  it  does  to  institute  an  ordi- 
nance itself. 

The  United  States,  formerly  British  colonies,  never 
enacted  laws  to  promote  "  this  barbarous  traffic." 
They  had  not  by  charter,  nor  did  they  claim,  the  right 
of  regulating  commerce.  Queen  Elizabeth  was  de- 
ceived when,  with  hesitation  and  reluctance,  she  per- 
mitted capt.  Hawkins  to  import  them  into  the  British 


THE   TWO   SOXS  OF   OIL. 

colonies.  She  was  assured  it  would  better  their  con- 
dition. The  colonies  had  no  power  to  prevent  it.  < 
governor  Oglethrope  did  every  thing  he  could  to  pre- 
vent it  in  Georgia,  but  without  effect.  In  Pennsylva- 
lature  not  having  it  in  its  power  to  con- 
troul  the  British  commercial  laws,  laid  ten  pounds  of 
a  tax  on  every  original  indenture  or  sale  of  a  slave  in 
that  state.  This  was  evaded  by  taking  them  to  other 
colonies  to  sign  the  indentures.  This  was  considered 
as  a  heavy  grievance  by  the  province,  but  unavoida- 
ble. 

I  arrived  in  Pennsylvania  in  August,  1763,  and 
was  not  inattentive  to  the  state  of  the  country,  parti- 
cularly with  regard  to  slavery  ;  and  though  I  was 
then  but  a  Lid,  I  considered  both  the  moral  and  politi- 
cal effects  of  slavery  on  a  country  ;  nor  was  I  wholly 
unacquainted  with  the  history  of  slavery  in  the  earlier 
periods  of  the  world.  My  parents  had  taught  me  to 
read  my  Bible,  and  I  had  read  some  ancient  history.  I 
had  then  the  world  before  me,  and  Providence  my 
guide,  where  to  choose  my  place  of  rest.  The  Caro- 

-  at  that  time  appeared  the  most  inviting,  and 
from  there  I  had  the  most  encourujjin;;,  and,  I  be- 
lieve, the  most  sincere  invitations.  My  aversion  to 
slavery  determined  me  to  decline  these  advantageous 
proposals,  and  to  hold  my  o\vn  plough,  hoe  my  own 
corn,  and  reap  my  o\vn  grain  in  Pennsylvania,  ra- 
ther than  raise  a  family  in  a  place  where  slavery  prc- 
d.  I  determined  to  have  no  slaves,  and  I  never 
have  had  any.  I  contributed,  as  far  as  I  believed  it  to 
be  my  duty,  in  both  private  and  public  life,  to  pro- 
mote the  abolition  of  slavery.  This  will  be  testified 
by  all  those  acquainted  with  me.  But  I  never  thought 


232 


OBSERVATIONS   ON 


of  consigning  the  patriarchs,  who  had  slaves  in  abun- 
dance, nor  the  apostles,  who  acknowledged  the  rela- 
tion of  master  and  slave,  and  prescribed  their  relative 
duties,  to  the  devil. 

No  nation  in  the  world  ever  made  such  exertions 
to  abolish  slavery,  as  the  United  States  has  done.  In 
the  general  convention  which  proposed  the  federal 
constitution,  a  vote  was  carried,  by  a  large  majority, 
to  vest  in  congress  the  power  of  preventing  the  im- 
portation of  foreigners.  So  great  was  the  aversion  to 
slavery,  that  slave  is  not  named  in  that  instrument. 
Some  states  declared  their  dissent  from  the  union,  if 
that  vote  was  carried  into  effect.  A  separation  of  the 
union,  threatened  the  dissolution  of  the  whole.  This 
produced  a  bargain.  The  vote  was  rescinded  on  con- 
dition that  the  importation  of  foreigners  should  not, 
for  twenty  years,  be  prevented,  or  taxed  higher  than 
ten  dollars  each.  I  voted  in  congress  myself  against 
levying  this  impost,  because  it  must  have  been  laid 
equally  on  all  foreigners.  The  constitution  did  not 
recognize  slaves  ;  and  because  the  state  made  laws  in 
the  mean  time  to  prevent  the  trade. 

Pennsylvania,  and  other  states,  had  long  before 
this  time,  viz.  as  soon  as  they  had  it  in  their  power, 
made  laws  to  prevent  the  importation  of  slaves.  That 
state  went  still  further  ;  she  enacted  a  law  for  the  in- 
ternal abolition  of  slavery.  When  this  law  was  pas- 
sed, the  event  of  the  war  was  doubtful,  and  much  of 
the  territory. laid  waste  by  the  enemy,  or  his  savage 
allies. 

This  was  the  most  important  exertion  for  the  sup- 
pression of  slavery,  it  is  believed,  that  ever  had  been 
made  by  any  nation  in  the  world.  It  would  be  tedious 


TWO  SONS  O?   OIL.  233 

itliies  which  the  legislature  had  to 
from  the  op- 

PO-.UC  mi. -Minn.  \..  :  and  religion.    Self-in- 

terest suid  it  was  robbery.    Religion  founded  on  mis- 
.    or.  the  same-  ground  taken  by  the  author, 
said  it  wa*  contrary  to  the  law  of  the  most  high  God, 
''pport  this  assertion,   applied  the  text  from 
before  quoted,  the  examples  of  the 
,  had  so  much    influence,   as  at 

the  next  election  to  turn  out  many,  I  believe  most  of 
«.vho  \utcd  for  the  abolition  law  ;  several 
of  whom  were  never  elected  again.  Those,  however, 
elected  in  their  place,  had  so  much  under- 
standing as  to  know,  that  they  had  no  authority  to 
make  men,  once  free,  return  to  slavery,  viz.  to  enact 
an  ex  post  facto  law.  They  ciid  not  attempt  to  repeal 
the  abolition  law,  notwithstanding  the  numerous  pe- 
tiiions  for  that  purpose  ;  but  believing  that  too  short 
a  time  had  been  given  to  record  slaves,  they  extend- 
ed tiie  time  to  the  distant  counties,  which,  by  indulg- 
ing those  (who,  agreeably  to  the  author's  opinion,  ob- 
stinately adhered  to  the  law  of  Moses,  as  if  it  had  been 
the  law  of  Pennsylvania,  refused  to  submit  to  the  abo- 
lition law)  with  an  opportunity  to  change  their  minds, 
and  record  their  slaves.  This  prevented  the  freedom 
of  many  slaves. 

But  the  author  mentions  a  certain  "  portion  of  them 
being  doomed  to  hofieleas  bondage."  I  deny  the  charge  ; 
at  least,  as  far  as  it  relates  to  Pennsylvania,  it  is  an 
infamous  slander.  No  law  of  the  state  has  doomed 
any  man,  or  class  of  men,  to  hopeless  bondage.  There 
were,  indeed,  slaves  in  Pennsylvania,  under  the 
glish  government.  Those  being  already  by  law  the 
u  2 


234 


OBSERVATIONS  ON 


property  of  their  owners,  the  legislature  could  not 
interfere  more  than  they  could  do  with  real  estates. 
Such  interference  would  have  been  an  ex  post  facto 
law — a  law  made  after  the  act  was  done.  The  princi- 
ple is  abhorrent  both  to  the  laws  of  God  and  man. 
Preparatory  to  the  abolition  law,  the  importation  of 
slaves  had  been  prohibited,  and  after  it  all  are  born 
equally  free.  This  could  not  have  been  done  under 
the  Jewish  law,  and  it  is  certainly  all  that  human  laws 
could  do,  and  more,  it  is  believed,  than  ever  has  been 
done  by  any  other  nation.  This  state  legislature  re- 
deemed thousands  now  living,  and  many  thousands 
yet  unborn,  from  hopeless  slavery,  but  never  doomed 
any  one  to  it.  By  the  Jewish  law,  these  were  to  be 
the  property  of  their  masters  and  their  posterity  for 
ever.  The  owners  of  slaves  from  other  states  cannot 
retain  them  in  Pennsylvania,  and  the  law  cannot  be 
repealed;  doing  so  would  be  ex  Jiost  facto. 

There  cannot  now  be  a  slave  in  this  state  but 
what  is  upwards  of  thirty  years  of  age.  The  Society 
of  Friends  (Quakers)  who,  with  their  peculiar  system 
of  church  discipline,  have  incorporated  municipal 
regulations  for  their  own  sect ;  had  set  their  slaves 
free  before  the  declaration  of  independence.  Many 
were  of  the  same  opinion.  I  was  informed,  that  early 
in  the  last  century,  the  Presbyterians  took  up  the 
question  in  Synod,  but  the  majority  were  of  opinion 
that  it  belonged  to  the  civil  laws  to  provide  the  re- 
medy. That  as  keeping  of  slaves  was  not  made  a 
term  of  communion  by  the  apostles,  they  had  no  au- 
thority to  make  it  so.  Many  of  them,  however,  dis- 
couraged slavery.  Hence  it  was  that  Pennsylvania 
contained  fewer  slaves  than  any  of  the  adjoining 


TVTO  SONS   OF   OIL.  335 

states;  but  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  hands  during 

.1  of  introducing  i 

from  Maryland,  Sec.  which  was  happily  stopped  by  the 

abolition  lav/.  Several  attc:,  ^  u.  purchase 

;  slaves,   at  the  expense  of  the    public. 

Tiic-  last  that  was,  or  perhaps  will  be  made,  was  about 

ten    \  «:e,  when  a  bill  for  that  purpose  passed 

the  numerous  branch,  but  was  postponed  by  the  other 

till  their  number  would  be  taken,  which  was  ordered. 

When  this  was  clone,  it  appeared  that  there  were  but 

a  few  hundred  of  them  in  the  state,  and  many  of  these 

old  and  frail,  who  were  of  no  more  use  to  their  masters, 

who  enjoyed  their  labour  in  their  best  days,  and  with 

.  ed  better  than  they  would  do  in  a  poor- 

e,   at  the    public    expense.    Very    many   of  the 

younger  slaves  had   procured  their  freedom  by  bar- 

;    in   doing    which    they  were   encouraged,    and 

ic  of  them  assisted,  by  the  Abolition  Society.     It 

.  therefore,  judged  inexpedient  to  tax  the  citizens, 

any  cases,  to  enrich  the  masters  at  the  expense 

of  their  neighbours  who  had  never  held  slaves.    How 

has  the  author's  society  set  free,   or  as- 

(1  in  purchasing  their  freedom,  as  tue  Quakers 

clid  ? 

If,  however,  the  author's  assertion  be  true,  "that 
they  are  subjected  to  the  wantcn  barbarity  of  t^ 
and  inhuman    masters,  who,  in   many   instances, 

,"  it  is  lamentable.    But  he  ought  to 
B  produced  instances  of  it.  Those  w' 
for  twenty  years  in  England,  in  opposing  ilu-  barbarous 
slave  trr.de,  did  not  rest  their  pl« 
They  stated  and  proved  numerous  facts.     I  hav 
sided   near  half  a  century  in  this   country,   eighteen 


236  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

years  of  it  In  Maryland,  and  in  the  parts  of  Pennsyl- 
vania adjoining,  where  slaves  were  the  most  nume- 
rous of  any  part  I  have  known  in  Pennsylvania ;  and 
before  I  had  a  house  of  my  own,  I  resided  in  some  fa- 
milies, and  very  pious  families  too,  who  held  a  num- 
ber of  slaves,  and  was  very  intimate  in  others ;  and  I 
was  myself  then  opposed  to  slavery,  as  I  have  been 
ever  since  ;  but  I  did  not,  like  the  author,  oppose  it 
with  slander  and  declamation,  but  with  such  views  as 
I  had  of  expediency,  and  of  the  moral  law,  and  the 
gospel.  I  was,  however,  powerfully  combatted  with 
the  judicial  law,  the  examples  of  the  patriarchs,  and 
of  the  ancient  civilized  nations  ;  nor  was  the  curse  on 
Canaan  forgotten.  These  peoples'  consciences  were 
not  seared  as  with  a  hoi  iron,  as  the  author  asserts ; 
they  were  all  professors,  and,  several  of  them  at  least, 
distinguished  for  piety.  They  paid  a  religious  atten- 
tion to  the  apostle's  directions  for  the  treatment  of 
slaves.  None  of  the  slave-holders,  with  whom  I  have 
ever  had  the  opportunity  of  being  acquainted,  "  give 
them  scarcely  any  other  compensation  for  their  labour , 
ihan  a  hungry  belly  and  hard  blows,"  as  the  author 
asserts.  I  declare  I  never  saw  a  slave  receive  one 
hard  blow  from  his  master,  nor  any  complain  of  a 
hungry  belly.  The  masters  that  keep  them  hungry 
must  be  fools  for  their  own  interest.  A  hungry  belly 
will  perform  little  labour.  They  were  generally  well 
fed,  and  comfortably  clothed. 

Slaves  in  the  southern  states,  on  account  of  their 
number,  probably  fare  worse  ;  yet  I  am  assured,  from 
undoubted  authority,  that  they  are  sufficiently  fed, 
and  that  since  independence,  their  condition  has  been 
greatly  ameliorated  with  respect  to  the  lash  of  the 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  237 

orersecr,  which  was  chiefly  connected  with  the  raising 
tobacco,  and  which  is  now  happily,  in  a  degree,  sir 

1  by  the  -I  »lc  labour  of  raising  cotton  ; 

which  being  done  chiefly  by  task,   a  urh   lei- 

sure to  industrious  slaves  to  work  for  themselves,  on 
land  allotted  to  them.    They  raise  sweet  potatoes  and 
other  truck,  with  which  they  feed  hogs,  poultry,  Sec. 
with  the   Ia^>t  of  which  they  frequently  supply   their 
masters,  at  a  price.  In  speaking  of  hungry  bellies,  as 
reward  of  labour,  the  author  must  have  had  some 
other  country  in    his  eyr.     lit    no  doubt  might  have 
seen  it  in  Britain,   which  is  frequently  dependent  on 
the  United  States  for  bread.     His   thoughts,  indeed, 
'it  have  been  occupied  with  the  cruelty  practised 
on  slaves  in  the  British  sugar  islands,  where,  it  has 
n  a  result  of  calculation,    that  it  was  more  profit 

ork  a  slave  to  death  in  two  or  three  years,  and 
purchase  others,  than  to  permit  them  to  propagate, 
and  to  which,  before  the  slave  trade  was  at  last  hap- 
pily abolished,  they  imported  57,000  new  slaves  in 
two  years. 

ihe  major  part  of  the  states  recognize  the 
principle  of  slavery.    I  am  at  a  loss  to  know  where  he 

1  that  recognition.  It  is  not  in  ',  >titutions 

hints,  and  I  d  ct  to  observe  it  in  any 

of  their  laws,    except  those  of  South  Carolina,  which 
has,  on  t;  ! opted  the  Jewish  law  so  far  as 

10  consk!  v.ilt'ul  and  barbarous  killing 

of  a  slave,  by  :.T,  to  be  murder.     VJ 

several  count :  majority,  as 

was 

•a ju lit  tl.  -  -lie* 


238  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

by  the  British  naval  and  commercial  laws  ;  they  were 
obtained  and  held  by  contract  under  those  laws,  and 
the  state  legislatures  have  no  authority  to  impair  the 
obligation  of  contracts.  If  they  had  they  would  be  ty- 
rants, and,  according  to  the  author's  favourite  phrase, 
immoral,  or  illegitimate  governments.  They  would  at 
least  be  despotic  ones. 

I  was  not  in  the  legislature  which,  with  so  much 
•difficulty,  and  in  such  doubtful  times,  nobly  passed 
the  abolition  law,  not  indeed  equally  perfect  as  their 
wishes  or  their  first  attempt,  but  so  perfect  as  to  give 
a  notable  example  to  other  states- — but  I  was  in  it 
when  much  was  done  to  ameliorate  their  condition, 
;to  prevent  their  being  sent  out  of  the  state,  or  their 
families  separated  to  a  distance.  Their  laws  in  this, 
and,  it  is  believed,  in  all  other  states  but  one,  protect 
their  persons  equal  to  freemen.  Tn  eight  out  of  the 
thirteen  old  states,  provision  is  made  for  the  final 
abolition  of  slavery.  In  the  Ohio  state  it  never  existed, 
and  in  all  the  Indiana  territory,  contemplated  to  be 
eight  states,  of  which  one  is  now  a  state,  and  three 
are  organized  territories,  provision  is  made  against  the 
introduction  of  slaves.  Over  the  cession  of  North  Ca- 
rolina, viz.  the  state  of  Tennessee— -the  cession  from 
Georgia,  viz.  Mississippi  territory,  obtained  on  con- 
tract, and  New-Orleans  and  Louisiana  obtained  by 
treaty,  congress  had  no  such  power,  but  has  prevent- 
ed their  increase  by  importation.  The  author  is,  there- 
fore, certainly  mistaken,  in  asserting  that  the  majority 
of  the  states  recognize  the  principles  of  slavery,  when 
it  is  certain  that  no  states,  recorded  in  history,  ever 
made  such  exertions  to  extirpate  that  evil  entailed 'on 
them  by  the  British  government ;  and  while  that  go- 


THE  TWO   SONS  OF   OLL. 

vernmcnt  had  taken  the  lead  in  the  slave  trade,  and 
made  an  interference  in  it  by  other  nations,  for  more 
than  a  century  past  a  cause  of  war,  and  procured  by 
treaty  the  right  of  supplying  the  colonies  of  other 
nations  with  slaves  from  Africa,  we  do  not  hear  of 
the  Reformed  Presbytery  in  Britain  testifying  against 
it.  I  believe  it  is  not  even  noticed  in  their  judicial 
testimony.  But  the  reverend  author,  who,  with  some 
other  brethren,  have  instituted  a  presbytery  under 
that  name  in  this  country,  makes  holding  slaves  a 
term  of  Christian  communion,  which  the  apostles  did 
not  do,  nor  their  own  brethren  in  Britain. 

The  author  certainly  could   have  been   but  a  fe\r 
years  in   the  country  when  he   wrote    the  above  base 
character  of  it.     I  presume  he  himself  met  with  that 
.itality    that  belongs  to   the  American  character. 
I    am  sure  he   has   met  with   protection  and  a   free 
.     He  had  not  certainly  so  good  an  opportunity 
to  know  the  treatment  received  by  slaves,  almost  im- 
mediately   after  his    landing,  as   I  have  had   in  near 
half  a  century,    with  a:  :ve  opportunity  of  ob- 

serving and  conversing  on  the  subject  with  people  of 
all  ranks  and  situations  of  life.  My  testimony  and  his 
being  opposite,  one  of  us  must  be  wrong.  Mine  being 
of  the  negative  kind,  is  not  conclusive  ;  his  being  af- 
firmative, ought  to  be  supported  by  facts  applicable 
at  least  to  the  majority  of  the  states.  A  few  solitary 
facts  will  not  establish  a  national  character — but  he 
has  given  none.  Instances  may  be  found  in  all  coun- 
tries, of  even  parents  treating  their  children  barba- 
rously ;  but  that  does  not  establish  a  national  cha- 
racter. 


240  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

The  apostle  taught  servants  to  be  obedient  to 
their  own  masters,  not  only  to  the  good  and  gentle, 
but  to  the  froward  ;  and  says,  "  artthou  called,  being  a 
servant,  care  not  for  it  ;*'  and  practically  confirms  this 
doctrine  by  sending  Onesimus  back  to  his  own  master. 

But  the  doctrine  of  the  author  is,  that  they  ought 
not  to  work  for  their  master,  nor  to  afiare  his  life — 
that  the  master  robs  him  of  what  is  dearer  than  life 
itself.  He  calls  on  the  philosopher  to  execrate,  and 
the  philanthropist  to  shed  a  tear  over  this  state  of 
things. 

Could  he  do  more  to  contradict  the  apostle  Paul, 
or  to  promote  the  insurrection  of  slaves  against  their 
masters,  and  to  repeat  the  shocking  scenes  of  St. 
Domingo  in  the  United  States  ?  That  the  enjoyment 
of  liberty  is  to  be  preferred  to  the  risk  of  life,  when 
there  is  a  rational  probability  of  securing  liberty  by 
that  risk,  has  been  verified  by  the  conduct  of  the 
United  States  ;  but  that  life  should  be  risked  or  lost 
for  liberty,  without  any  prospect  of  securing  it,  is  con- 
trary to  the  opinion  and  practice  of  the  generality  of 
mankind,  and  to  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel.  On 
the  author's  principles,  it  is  the  duty  of  slaves  to 
assassinate  their  masters,  and  to  take  away  their  own 
lives  also,  in  preference  to  living  in  slavery.  This  is 
not  the  opinion  of  Moses  and  the  patriarchs,  nor  of 
the  apostles  of  Christ. 

There  were  no  slaves  in  the  ark.  The  sons  of 
Noah  had  equal  rights.  We  know  not  how  slavery 
was  introduced  among  them  ;  but  we  know  that  by 
noticing  those  belonging  to  Abraham,  who,  little 
more  than  four  hundred  years  after,  had  318  born  in 
his  house,  trained  for  war,  which,  allowing  the  usual 


TH*  TWO  SOKS  O*  OIL.  24 

proportion  of  women,  children,  old  men,  Sec.  unfit  for 
%var,  will  amount  to  near  about  2000  slaves  in  his 
possession.  Going  a  little  further,  we  find  his  two 
dsons,  Esau  and  Jacob — the  first  coming  to  meet 
the  other  with  400  (no  doubt  trained  servants)  and 
Jacob  making  a  present  to  him  of  as  many  slaves  as 
conducted  five  droves  of  different  kinds  of  cattle,  along 
with  the  cattle  themselves.  We  afterwards  find  that 
the  patriarch  Job  had  very  many  slaves.  His  500 
yoke  of  oxen  would  require  as  many  men  to  work 
them,  besides  such  as  attended  to  his  other  very  nu- 
merous flocks,  and  a  very  great  household.  We  can- 
not, therefore,  estimate  his  slaves  at  less  than  6000  ; 
they  might  have  been  many  more.  We  cannot,  how- 
ever, consider  these  to  be  all  as  miserable  as  the  au- 
thor represents  them  to  be.  We  are  little  acquainted 
with  that  state  of  society,  but  have  reason  to  believe, 
that  to  get  into  the  servitude  of  a  good  master,  was  a 
privilege.  There  were  some,  whose  service  Job  would 
not  accept  of.  Of  such  he  says,  "  they  dug  up  mal- 
lows by  the  bushes,  and  juniper  roots  for  their  meat; 
whose  fathers  I  would  have  disdained  to  have  set 
with  the  dogs  (probably  shepherds)  of  my  flocks."  I 
conclude  from  this,  that  to  be  servants  to  such  as 
could  protect  and  provide  for  their  sustenance,  was 
probably  in  those  ages  a  privilege.  Throughout  the 
Bible,  servants  were  slaves,  except  the  hired  servant 
of  the  law  of  Moses. 

I  admit,  however,  that  there  is  something  in  the 
slavery  of  the  Africans  more  disagreeable  in  its  con- 
sequences, and  more  unjustifiable  in  its  origin,  than 
the  ancient  slavery ;  but  I  do  not  admit  that  they  are 
treated  with  equal  cruelty  as  the  slaves  of  Greece  or 
X 


OBSERVATIONS    ON 

Rome,  or  of  the  Jews.  That  slavery  in  the  United 
States  is  also  a  mighty  political  evil,  is  admitted.  We 
did  not  need  to  be  informed  of  this  by  the  reverend 
author;  but  we  wish  he  would  inform  us  how  to  get 
clear  of  it,  without  worse  consequences. 

I  have  stated  before,  that  what  of  the  moral  law  is 
incorporated  in  the  judicial  law,  is  binding  on  all  men. 
Of  this  kind  is  Exod.  xxiii.  1.  "  Thou  shalt  not  raise 
a  false  report ;  put  not  thine  hand  with  the  wicked,  to 
be  an  unrighteous  witness  ;"  and  seditions  and  revil- 
ings  are  ranked  among  the  works  of  the  flesh  in  the 
New  Testament.  If  the  author  had  examined  the  sub- 
ject maturely,  before  he  wrote,  and  searched  the  au- 
thentic records,  his  mistake  might  be  set  to  the  ac- 
count of  weakness  ;  but  if  he  did  neither  of  these,  it 
arose  from  a  worse  principle. 

With  respect  to  the  abolition  of  internal  slavery 
in  the  southern  states,  it  is  a  difficult  question,  over 
which  congress  has  no  controul.  Mr.  Jefferson,  the 
late  president  of  the  United  States,  when  governor 
of  Virginia,  before  our  independence  was  acknow- 
ledged, proposed  a  plan  for  the  gradual  abolition  of 
slavery  in  the  United  States  ;  but  the  horrid  conse- 
quences of  the  abolition  of  slavery  in  the  great  island 
of  St.  Domingo  (sufficient  to  make  the  ears  of  those 
who  hear  of  it  to  tingle)  teach  a  serious  lesson  of 
caution.  The  slaves  there  first  extirpated  their  for- 
mer masters,  then  butchered  the  people  of  different 
shades  of  colour ;  and  now,  after  near  twenty  years 
have  elapsed,  are  butchering  each  other  in  support 
of  contending  chiefs.  Christianity,  as  far  as  it  pre- 
vailed in  the  world,  promoted  the  amelioration  of 
slavery.  When  the  Roman  empire  became  christian» 


THE   TWO  SONS   OF   OIL.  343 

some  saluury  laws  were  made  in  their  favour;  but 
none,  by  even  the  emperors  to  whom  the  author  indi- 
rectly ascribes  infallibility,  to  abolish  slavery.  The 
crusades,  and  a  mistaken  opinion  that  the  end  of  the 
world  was  at  hand,  made  way  for  the  freedom  of  many 
•laves,  but  it  was  not  finally  abolished  in  the  west  of 
Christendom,  till  the  sixteenth  century,  when  queen 
Elizabeth,  as  landlord,  abolished  it  in  the  royal  do- 
mains. In  almost  every  instance  it  was  abolished  by 
the  masters  voluntarily,  or  for  a  valuable  considera- 
tion, and  not  by  governmental  acts.  It  still  prevails  in 
the  east  of  Christian  Europe  (in  Russia,  Poland,  and 
«ome  parts  of  Germany)  where  the  common  people, 
i.  e.  slaves,  there  called  serfis,  are  transferred  with 
the  soil,  like  the  trees  that  grow  on  it.  No  Christian 
states  have  exerted  their  legislative  authority  in  this 
cause,  in  so  short  a  time,  to  so  great  an  extent,  as  the 
people  of  the  United  States.  But  for  this,  instead  of 
praise,  they  receive  slander  from  the  author.  The  li- 
beral policy  of  Pennsylvania,  in  abolishing  slavery, 
and  ameliorating  the  condition  of  such  as  could  only 
be  set  free  by  their  masters,  and  the  disinterested 
conduct  of  the  Quaker  masters,  at  a  great  expense  to 
them,  has  been  treated  with  high  approbation  by  Eu- 
ropean writers ;  but  the  author  has  not  found  ground 
for  approbation  on  this,  nor  any  other  acts  of  the  peo- 
ple, or  the  governments.  They  have,  in  his  opinion, 
no  authority  to  give  or  enforce  even  a  command  lav/- 
ful  in  itself,  viz.  to  free  a  slave. 

Yet  I  must  admit,  that  though  he  has  declared  the 
American  government  to  be  immoral  and  illegitimate, 
he  gives  them  some  commendation. 


344  •BSERVATIONS    OW 

He  says,  (p.  51)  "But,  as  we  have  stated  our  ob- 
jections to  the  civil  constitutions  of  these  states,  can- 
dour requires  us  to  declare,  at  the  same  time,  that  we 
consider  the  American  government,  with  all  its  evils, 
the  best  now  existing  in  the  Christian  world."  I  only 
observe  here,  that  I  know  of  but  one  world  of  the  hu- 
man family,  of  which  Adam  was  the  primeval  proge- 
nitor, and  the  first  federal  representative  ;  and,  with 
the  apostle  Paul  and  the  author,  I  know  of  but  one 
moral  law  of  nature,  common  to,  and  possessed  by, 
the  whole  family  of  mankind. 

But  the  author  goes  on  to  say — "  And,  if  we  know 
the  sentiments  of  our  own  souls  upon  this  subject,  de- 
sire nothing  more  than  its  reformation,  happiness, 
and  prosperity." 

From  the  above,  taken  in  connexion  with  the  rest 
of  his  system,  he  practically  disowns  all  the  civil  go- 
vernments that  are,  or  ever  were,  in  the  world.  He 
disowns,  demoralizes,  and  bastardizes  all  the  Ameri- 
can governments  so  far,  as  to  assert,  that  they  can 
give  no  lawful  command ;  that  in  levying  taxes,  for 
necessary  uses,  they  act  the  part  of  robbers  ;  and,  at 
the  same  time  solemnly  declares,  that,  with  all  their 
evils,  they  are  the  best  in  the  Christian  world.  Conse- 
quently, all  the  civil  governments  of  the  Christian 
world  are  more  immoral  and  more  illegitimate,  i.  e. 
greater  bastards,  than  the  United  States.  He  also  con- 
siders the  government  of  the  Roman  empire  as  immo- 
ral and  illegitimate,  and  will  not  allow  us  to  believe 
that  the  apostle  Paul  meancd  what  he  said,  when,  in 
explicit  language,  he  enjoined  the  church  to  obey  the 
powers  that  be  ;  to  pay  them  tribute  as  a  debt  morally 
due  ;  ^o  honour  the  few  who  administered  the  govern- 


THE   TWO   SONS   OF    OIL.  245 

•,  and  to  pray  for  them,  and  all  in  authority  under 
tilt-in  ;  and  when  he  appealed  to  them  and  availed  him- 

.,f  the    privileges  of  their   laws — Nor  the  apostle 

p,  in  his  general  directions  to  the  Christian 
churches,  when  he  enjoins  them  to  "  submit  to  every 
ordinance  of  men,  for  the  Lord's  sake  :  whether  it  be 
to  the  king  as  supreme  ;  or  unto  governors,  or  unto 
them  that  are  sent  by  them."  Consequently  he  dis- 
owns all  the  governments  of  the  Gi-ntilc  nati- 

all  had,  one  time  or  other,  their  monkttrs.    like 
Nero,  who,  however,  did  not  reign  live  years  w<.  i 
he  did  ;    nor  were  degraded  and  condemned  to  death 
for  their  crimes,  as  he  was. 

One  government,  indeed,  was  immediately  insti- 
tuted by  God,  of  which  he  became  the  immediate  king 
or  supreme  magistrate.  In  this  government,  certain 
against  the  moral  law  were  subjected  to  the 
decision  of  those  who  acted  as  civil  judges  under  Je- 
hovah, or  the  immediate  sovereign  of  that  tl 
or  immediate  government  of  (iocl.  But  other  offe: 
against  the  moral  law  were  tolerated,  so  far  as  to  be 
withheld  from  the  cognizance  or  punishment  of  the 
civil  courts.  Of  these  slavery  was  one,  and  for  this 
the  author  demoralizes  the  governments  of  the  Uni- 
ted a  higher  tone  of  crimination  than  almost 
any  thing  else.  The  Jews  were  not  authorised  to  pu- 
nish any  idolatry  but  such  as  was  expressly  defined, 
and  committed  by  persons  expressly  described,  and 
within  a  territory  expressly  limited  by  divine  au- 
thority. For  not  going  beyond  the  limits  prescribed 
by  Jehovah  to  that  government,  of  which  he  conde- 
scended to  be  the  immediate  sovereign,  the  author 
demoralizes  the  governments  of  the  United  States, 
x  2 


246  OBSERVATIONS  OJT 

Other  instances  might  be  mentioned,  but  the  above  is 
sufficient  to  demonstrate  that  the  author,  to  be  consis- 
tent, could  not  have  acknowledged,  or,  to  use  his  own 
words,  homologated  the  peculiar  government  of  Israel. 
Nor  could  he  have  acknowledged  the  government  of 
Constantine,  Theodosius,  Sec.  They  indeed  punished 
for  many  things  ;  for  doing  which  they  had  no  autho- 
rity from  the  law  of  God ;  but  they  also  patronized 
certain  kinds  of  idolatry,  such  as  relicks,  pilgrimages, 
and  tradition,  which  they  set  above,  or,  at  least  made 
equal  to,  the  laws  of  the  most  high  God  ;  and  they 
were  themselves  the  high  priests  of  Jupiter,  viz.  of 
the  heathen  idolatrous  religion,  while  at  the  same 
time  they  had  usurped  the  headship  of,  and  sove- 
reignty over,  the  church  of  Christ.  Certainly,  on  the 
author's  principles,  he  could  not  homologate  such  a  go- 
vernment, or  do  any  thing  that  would  amount  to  a 
tessera  of  obedience  to  it.  Consequently,  as  far  as 
known,  there  never  has  been  a  civil  government  in 
the  world,  which  the  author,  on  his  declared  princi- 
ples, could  have  acknowledged  as  a  moral  or  legiti- 
mate government,  or  even  whose  lawful  commands 
ought  to  have  been  obeyed.  I  will  conclude  with 
a  quotation  from  a  learned  and  judicious  commen- 
tator, Scott. 

Exod.  xxL  2 — «  In  these  ways,  slavery  had  been, 
or  would  soon  be,  introduced  among  them  ;  even  that 
of  their  brethren  as  well  as  strangers :  and  God  did 
not  see  good  in  the  judicial  law  totally  to  prohibit 
this,  and  several  other  things  which  are  not  agreeable 
to  the  perfect  demands  of  the  moral  law,  which  is  the 
standard  of  every  action,  whether  right  or  wrong  in 
itself.  In  the  government  of  nations,  legislators  must 


THE    TWO   SOKS  OF  OIL.  24f 

judge  how  fur  it  is  practicable,  expedient,  or  condu- 
10  the  grand  ends  of  magistracy,  to   require  all 
that  is  right,  and  forbid  all  that  is  wrong,  under  penal 
sanctions  :    and  in  this  respect,  Israel    was  like  other 
nations.     Indeed,    the    moral  and    judicial   law   were 
•ed  l)y  the  same  Lawgiver,  and  coincided,  as  far 
as  infinite  wisdom  saw  it  to  be  conducive  to  the  grand 
in  view  :   hut  as  they  u  uded  for  such  dis- 

tinct purposes,  they  must  in  many  things  vary.  The 
moral  law  commanded  every  thing  spiritually  good  in 
its  utmost  perfection,  and  tolerated  nothing  wrong  in 
the  smallest  degree:  but  the  sentence  of  it  is  reserv- 
ed k  to  that  day,  when  God  shall  judge  the  *rcrets  of 
men  by  Jesus  Christ.'  The  judicial  law  commanded 
nothing  morally  bad,  and  forbade  nothing  morally 
good  ;  but  as  sentence  according  to  it  would  be  pro- 
nounced by  the  civil  magistrate,  it  did  not  insist  on 
the  same  perfection  :  and,  besides  that,  it  enjoined 
nothing  concerning  the  state  of  the  heart,  except  as 
the  intentions  could  be  judged  of  by  words  and  ac- 
tions ;  it  had  also  respect  to  the  situation,  character, 
and  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  nation  to  be  govern- 
ed ;  and  supposed  the  existence  of  some  evils  which 
could  not  be  eradicated  without  a  constant  miracle  ; 
and  provided  against  their  effects. — This  distinction, 
fully  attended  to,  will  account  for  many  things 
trcmingly  tolerated  in  the  Mosaic  law,  which  are  con- 
demned in  the  New  Testament ;  and  not  only  there, 
but  in  the  moral  law  of  *  loving  our  neighbour  as  our- 
selves.'— They  are  not  sanctioned,  but  merely  suffer- 
ed? because  of  the  hardness  of  the  people's  hearts, 
or  on  some  account  to  prevent  worse  consequences. 
Slavery  was  almost  universal  in  the  world  :  and  though 


248  OBSERVATIONS,    ScC. 

like  wars,  it  always  proceeded  of  evil,  and  was  gene- 
rally evil  in  itself;  yet  the  wisdom  of  God  deemed  it 
better  to  regulate,  than  to  prohibit  it :  yet  we  should 
not  judge  of  the  practice  itself  by  these  judicial  regu- 
but  by  the  law  of  love." 


CHAPTER  V. 


Of  persecution — The  author's  glosses  on  Romans  xiii.  1 — 7,  and 
Mat.  xxii.  21,  examined  and  refuted,  by  extracts  from  the  vene- 
rable divines  of  Westminster,  approved  by  the  Assembly  of  the 
church  of  Scotland — The  testimonies  of  the  Presbyterian  clergy 
of  England  and  Scotland,  against  Cromwell's  usurpation,  and  of 
"Luther,  Calvin,  and  oilier  approved  commentators — Martyrdom 
a  test  of  sincerity,  not  of  truth — The  Protestant  martyrs  under 
Popery  against  tin-  author — Thoughts  on  creeds— Opinions  of 
the  J  ::,  that  the  apostles'  doctrine  was  n*t 

applicable  to  that  period,  refuted. 


T 


HE  reverend  author's  thirteenth  supposed  objec- 
tion (p.  71)  is,  that  we  say,  *»  Your  principles  lead  to 
L  cution,  and  are  cruel  and  unmerciful."  This  ob- 
'••n  1  admit  in  all  its  force.  I  admit  also  his  reply 
to  it,  vihich  is — "  The  church  of  Christ  never  fierse- 
cutcd.  If  our  principles  lead  to  it  we  are  certainly 
wrong."  In  this  I  perfectly  agree  with  him  ;  but  with 
his  following  arguments  to  evade  the  force  of  his  own 
concession,  I  do  not  a^rce.  There  is  no  principle  of 
persecution  in  the  religion  of  Jesus,  the  blessed  Sa- 
viour of  the  chief  of  sinners  ;  who  waiteth  long  and  is 
kind:  who  waiteth  even  to  the  eleventh,  i.  e.  to  the 
last  hour,  on  careless  and  negligent  sinner*  ;  and 


350  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

brought  the  thief  on  the  cross  to  repentance  at  the 
last  hour,  as  he  has  done  many  sinners  since ;  and 
who  himself  declared  that  he  did  not  come  to  destroy 
mens*  lives,  but  to  save  them  ;  and  who,  on  his  last 
parting,  gave  a  solemn  charge  to  his  apostles—"  And 
he  said  unto  them,  go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth 
and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth 
not,  shall  be  damned."  This  solemn,  gracious,  and 
awful  commission  is  given  to  the  ministers  of  the 
gospel,  who  are  thereby  constituted— 2  Cor.  v.  20. 
Ambassadors  of  Christ  to  pray  and  beseech  men  to 
be  reconciled  to  God.  There  is  not  a  word  here  of 
persecution,  but  of  teaching  or  beseeching  men  to 
be  reconciled  to  God.  There  is  not  here,  nor  any- 
place else,  a  commission  given  by  the  Saviour  to 
ecumenical  councils  or  emperors  to  ratify  or  sanction 
his  laws,  in  order  to  give  them  validity  ;  nor  is  there 
any  commission  given  them  as  officers  of  his  king- 
dom, which  he  has,  in  the  most  solemn  manner  de- 
clared, is  not  of  this  world.  There  is  no  commission 
given  to  convert  sinners  by  the  sword,  or  other  physi- 
cal force. 

The  author  is  fond  of  dilemmas,  and  ingenious  in 
stating  them  ;  but  having  admitted  that  the  church  of 
Christ  does  not  Jiersecute>  his  detailed  arguments  im- 
mediately following  in  favour  of  persecution,  may  be 
safely  passed  without  further  notice,  except  one  ob- 
servation, viz.  that  by  the  church  of  Christ,  I  mean,  the 
church  or  spiritual  kingdom  instituted  by  Christ  and 
his  apostles,  with  express  provision  that  they  should 
not  add  to  his  laws,  under  the  penalty  of  having  the 
plagues  written  in  God's  book  added  to  them — Rev. 


THE  TWO  SOV8  OF   OIL.  25  I 

xxii.  18.  The  author  treats  on  quite  a  different  sub- 
ject, viz.  on  what  he  calls  a  church  of  Christ,  insti- 
tuted by  a  Roman  emperor,  in  connexion  with  a 
number  of  bishops,  who  laid  the  foundation  of  what 
is  since  called  Popery,  or  the  church  of  Rome,  which 
has  ever  since  been  built  on  that  foundation.  The 
laws,  in  all  political  churches,  as  such,  do  not  origi- 
nate from  the  ratifying  and  sanctioning  fiower  of  Christ 
or  his  afiostles,  but  of  the  civil  magistrate  ;  and  are  sub- 
ject to  all  the  changes  of  the  opinions  of  human  legis- 
latures, and  all  the  varieties  that  are  to  be  found  even 
in  the  various  protestant  national  churches. 

His  objection  (p.  58)  is  founded  on  Romans,  chap. 
1"  ;  and  his  seventh  (p.  66)  on  Mat.  xxii.  21,  viz.  the 
Saviour's  answer  to  the  question  of  paying  tribute 
to  Caesar.  I  admit  the  solidity  of  these  objections  to 
his  system.  The  author  has  in  p.  67,  and  elsewhere, 
appealed  to  approved  commentators,  and  to  such  I 
shall  now  appeal. 

Westminster  assembly,  was  composed  of  about 
one  hundred  divines,  selected  for  their  orthodoxy, 
learning,  and  talents,  many  of  whom  were  eminent 
commentators,  joined  also  with  four  able  divines  from 
the  church  rf  Scotland,  and  thirty  lay  assessors,  many 
of  them  such  as  Seldon,  Hales,  Whitelock,  Pym,  8cc. 
very  eminent  for  learning,  talents,  and  virtue,  and 
three  lay  assessors  from  Scotland.  These  he  will  not 
deny  to  be  approved  commentators,  and  I  claim  no 
other  authority  for  them.  Confession  of  Faith,  chap. 
xxiii.  sec.  3 — "  It  is  the  duty  of  people  to  pray  for 
magistrates,  to  honour  their  persons,  to  pay  them 
tribute  and  other  dues,  to  obey  their  lawful  com- 
mands, and  to  be  subject  to  their  authority,  for  con- 


25J  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

science  sake.  Infidelity  and  difference  in  religion 
doth  not  make  void  the  magistrate's  just  and  legal 
authority,  nor  free  the  people  from  their  due  obe- 
dience to  him :  from  which  ecclesiastic  persons  are 
not  exempted,"  See.  The  127th  question  of  the  Larger 
Catechism,  viz.  What  is  the  honour  that  inferiors 
owe  to  their  superiors  ?  The  answer  is  quite  agreea- 
ble to  the  above.  This  venerable  assembly  of  divines, 
and  learned  noblemen  and  gentlemen,  give  this  doc- 
trine as  a  comment  on  Rom.  xiii.  5 — 7.  and  on  Mat. 
xxii.  21,  and  other  similar  texts  ;  and  with  this  fully 
corresponds  the  Directory  for  worship. 

We  find  by  Neat's  History  of  the  Puritans,  that 
there  was  much  dispute  and  division  in  both  the  as- 
sembly and  parliament,  about  the  form  of  church  go- 
vernment and  discipline  ;  but  they  were  unanimous 
in  approving  the  doctrines  of  the  Confession  of  Faith 
and  the  Catechisms — the  Directory  for  worship  passed 
with  equal  unanimity,  and  they  were  all  approved 
and  enforced  by  church  and  state  in  Scotland.  Here 
is  a  mighty  cloud  of  witnesses  indeed.  No  less  than 
one  hundred  divines,  and  more  than  thirty  noblemen 
and  gentlemen  of  England,  all  selected  for  their  emi- 
nence in  learning  and  piety,  by  parliament,  and  that 
parliament  itself.  Add  to  this  all  the  puritan  divines 
•who  suffered  for  non-conformity  during  the  tyranny 
of  the  Stuarts,  of  which  there  were  two  thousand 
ministers  ejected  from  the  established  churchj  and 
their  congregations  in  one  day,  in  a  summary  man- 
ner, by  act  of  parliament.  Among  those  divines  are 
found  the  names  of  Manton,  Calomy,  Cose,  Baxter, 
T.  Goodwin,  Owen,  Allen,  Flavel,  Henry,  and  many 
others,  who,  being  dead,  yet  speak,  to  the  edifica- 


THB  T\?O  SONS  OF   OIL.  253 

tion   of  the    Christians    in    the   protestant   churches. 

iough  differing  in  other  things,  after  the 
ample  and  agreeable  to  the  doctrine  taught  by  Christ 
and  his  apostles,  taught  obedience  to  the  lawful  com- 
mands of  an  oppressive  and  tyrannical  government, 
and  monstrously  wicked  kings,  tuch  as  Charles  II. 
and  James  II.  They  taught  also,  both  by  their  doc- 
trine and  example,  to  suffer  in  preference  to  obeying 
unlawful  commands.  It  was  in  their  day,  and  in  oppo- 
bition  to  them,  that  the  learned  dcistical  philosopher, 
Hoi.  tit  the  doctrine  of  the  public  conscience, 

i.  e.  the  conscience  of  the  supi  eine  civil  magistrate  being 
the  criterion  of  truth  and  error,  sin  and  duty — v. 
principles,  with  some  variation,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wylie 
has  copied  into  his  system,  the  refuting  of  which  em- 
ployed the  learned  protcstants  of  different  denomina- 
tor half  a  century. 

Such  are  the  witnesses  in  favour  of  the  objections 
to  the  author's  system,  produced  in  England.  Scotland, 
however,  affords  a  mighty  addition.  No  less  than  the 
testimony  of  the  whole  Presbyterian  church  of  Scot- 
land, in  general  assembly  met,  in  their  representative 
capacity.  After  submitting  tUe  question,  the  presbytery, 
who,  as  well  as  the  parliament  of  that  nation,  approved 
of  the  C<  ind  Directory,  without 

\  or  additional  explanation  on  such  parts 
:-e  founded  on  Rom.  xiii.  Mat.  xxii.  21,  Sec.    The 
human,  and,  therefore,  fallible  testimony,  but 
ous  and  learned  men,   and   many  of  them  great 
for  what  they,  on  the    strictest  examination, 
truth.   It  can  scarcely  be  outweighed  by 
'imony. 

Y 


254  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

But  as  the  author  (p.  24)  says,  "  an  approved  ex- 
ample is  equal  to  a  precept ;  but  precepts  are  not 
wanting" — see  Deut.  xiii.  16,  Sec.  "Were  it  needful, 
we  might  quote  also  the  authority  of  most  of  the  re- 
formed churches  of  Europe,  as  also  of  the  most  cmi- 
nnu  martyrs.''  In  p.  73,  in  answer  to  the  objection 
arising  from  the  Confession  of  Faith,  now  under  con- 
sideration, he  says,  "  The  sense  in  which  the  General 
Assembly,  as  also  the  current  of  the  reformers  and 
martyrs  of  the  seventeenth  century,  understood  this 
passage,  is  fully  stated  in  our  testimony,  as  also  in  the 
tetter  from  Stirling,  by  the  Rev.  John  M'Millan,  jun. 
They  distinguished  between  reformed  and  enlightened 
lands,  and  those  that  were  unreibrmed  and  unenlight- 
ened." 

Is  the  author  really  sincere  in  his  boasts  of  a  cloud 
of  witnesses,  of  reformers,  martyrs,  and  reformed 
churches,  Sec.  ?  If  so,  why  does  he  not  product-  in- 
stances ?  Is  he  really  serious,  in  asserting,  that  the 
Westminster  Assembly  made  such  a  distinction  ? 
That  they  taught  such  a  public  doctrine  on  the  au- 
thority of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  as  equally  applies 
to  all  nations  and  all  individuals,  like  the  moral  law 
of  nature,  on  which  it  is  founded,  and  another  doc- 
truie  for  particular  cases,  couched  in  the  same  words? 
The  Confession,  however,  makes  no  such  distinction, 
nor  is  it  founded  in  scripture.  That  it  is  founded  in 
their  testimony,  is  admitted,  and  it  is  no  doubt  found- 
ed in  the  letter  to  which  he  alludes,  and  which  I  have 
not  seen  ;  but  this  only  shews  what  ingenuity  even 
pious  men  will  sometimes  resort  to,  to  vindicate  a  fa- 
vourite mistake.  This  is,  however,  a  stroo-;  V,  of 
mysticism* 


s  or  OIL. 

for  public   v/orshir. 

.ccd  in  both  i:  iiilc  the  : 

.•bout   their   i 
claims  oi 
tvha  t 

Ley  at  tli 

5  constitution 
cl  all  the 
ors   bef<>  P  all  in   autl 

.id  for  UK 

of  the   •  id   in   several   tr< 

i  of  tli-j  g-ovcrnment,  t> 

ed  v,  i  liim  as  their  lawful   ! 

do  so  till  after   the  assembly  at    V. 

-Ivcd,  and  the  parliament  purged  l)y 
the   army,   by   ex;  '.'.        •  and 

•jf  the  army. 

parliament   had   voted   the    kind's  proposals   at 
Hampton   court    i  f.isfactory,    the     remaining 

:  bers,  with  Cromwell  at  their  head,   usurped  the 
mental  authority.     In  pursuance  of  this, 
'1   the  king's  authority,   brought  him  to 
trial  before  a  court,  not  known  to  the  laws,  and  put 
;.o  death.    This  prm-rcdi-.^  -,\a>  solemnly  protest- 
ed   ;i  v   the    \\1  .  i-iau 
: gland,   and    the    commissioners   of   the 
church   of  Scotland,  in  language    expressive   of  sia- 

loyalty.  are  rm<: 

the   most   respectable  -a  of  the    \  ,ster 

asseml.lv.     Ti.cy  that,    "though    parlia; 

up  arms  in  their  own  Pro- 

;t  religion,   and  of  the   fundamental   laws  of  the 

country,  yet  this  cannot  be  plead  in  favour  of  usurp- 


«BSERVATIONS  O2T 

•ing  authority  over  the  king."  And  again,  "  Moreo- 
ver, though  parliament  took  up  arms  in  defence  of 
fae  laws,  it  was  never  their  intention  to  do  -violence  to 
the  person  of  the  king,  or  divest  him  of  his  rcual  autho- 
rity" Again,  "  you  cannot  but  know,  that  the  word  of 
God  commands  obedience  to  magistrates  ;  and  that, 
consonant  to  scripture,  this  hath  been  the  judgment 
of  Protestant  divines,  at  home  and  abroad,  with  whom 
we  concur." 

The  commissioners  of  the  church  of  Scotland  so- 
lemnly protest  against  casting  off  his  authority,  and 
proceeding  to  try  and  put  him  to  death,  as  absolutely 
inconsistent  with  the  solemn  league  and  covenant. 
The  aforesaid  memorial  of  fifty-seven  eminent  Lon- 
don ministers,  tells  the  nation,  "  you  have  engaged 
by  oath  to  preserve  his  majesty's  person.'* 

The  same  ministers,  and  indeed  the  whole  body 
of  the  Presbyterians,  acted  conformably  to  this,  after 
the  restoration.  They  acknowledged  the  legal  autho- 
rity of  Charles  II.  and  James  II.  they  obeyed  their 
lawful  commands,  but  suffered  severe  persecution,  in 
preference  to  obeying  such  as  were  contrary  to  the 
moral  law,  i.  e.  such  as  interfered  with  the  authority 
of  God,  over  the  reason  and  judgment  of  his  reason- 
able creatures,  in  such  cases  for  which  they  are  solely 
accountable  to  himself.  They  did  the  eame  in  Scot- 
land, except  that  a  much  greater  proportion  of  the 
Presbyterian  clergy  conformed,  and  became  generally 
the  disgrace  of  even  Episcopacy.  In  England,  the 
few  that  conformed,  such  as  the  learned  doctors  Light- 
foot,  Reynolds,  Williams,  Tuckney,  Sec.  did  honour 
to  that  church,  as  they  had  done  to  the  Westminster 
assembly,  of  which  they  had  been  eminent  members. 


THE   TWO  SONS  OP  OIL.  257 

They  were  not  there,  however,  in  favour  of  exclusive 
establishments,  i.  c.   of  persecution  ;    nor  when  they 
•  rmed,  did  they  b«.  rsccutors,  as  the  con- 

formists in  Scotland  di'l.  The  non-conformists  in  Scot- 
land were  most  cruelly  persecuted  ;  many  of  them 
left  the  country  ;  a  few  of  those  who  remained,  took 
up  arms  in  their  own  defence,  when  they  were,  while 
attending:  the  gospel  ordinances,  shot  down  like  wild 
beasts  of  the  field,  or  otherwise  murdered.  They  dis- 
owned the  authority  of  the  king,  who  had  withdrawn 
his  protection  from  them,  and  refused  to  pray  for  him. 
In  this,  however,  they  had  no  judicial  concurrence  of 
that  church,  but  a  few  presbyterian  ministers  concur- 
red in,  or  openly  patronised,  this  conduct ;  it  never, 
therefore,  became  the  act  of  that  national  church.  It 
was  fully  justifiable,  however,  on  the  principle  of  self- 
defence,  if  success  had  been  probable  ;  but  that  not 
.;  the  case,  there  was  no  ground  to  expect  mira- 
cles. This  is  the  only  exception  to  their  conduct. 
Those  who  fled  from  the  storm  till  it  would  blow  over, 
Athanasius,  acted  on  the  Saviour's  advice.  "  When 
they  persecute  you  in  one  city,  flee  you  to  another." 
Tlu-  nation  a  few  years  rejected  the  Stuarts  from  be- 
ing kings. 

In  this  distracted  state  of  that  church  and  nation, 
those  who  disowned  the  civil  authority,  as  well  as 
those  who  fled  from  mittcd  to 

communion  with  the   Protestant  churches  of  the  Ne- 
therlands ;    but  aft°r  the  persecution  ceased,  and  the 
Presbyterian  religion  was  restored,  and  politically  re- 
dished  in  Scotland,  these  churches  refused  com- 
n  wit'i  such  as  disowned  the  civil  authority   in 
Y  2 


258  OBSERVATIONS    ON 

Scotland.    In  short,  they  were  not  acknowledged  by 
any  of  the  political  Protestant  churches  in  Europe. 

The  author,  having  confidently  appealed  to  the 
current  of  the  reformers  and  martyrs  of  the  17th  cen- 
tury, as  quoted  above,  has  occasioned  this  review  oi 
that  period,  in  which  it  appears  that  the  Westminster 
assembly  and  parliament,  and  the  general  assembly 
and  parliament  of  Scotland,  were  consistent ;  that 
they  did  not  say  one  thing  and  mean  another.  I  ap- 
pear only  as  an  advocate  for  their  consistency,  while 
I  think,  perhaps  through  the  circumstances  of  the 
times,  they  carried  their  loyalty  too  far.  After  the 
death  of  Cromwell,  when  the  parliament  was  restor- 
ed, and  the  Presbyterians  the  decided  majority,  they 
brought  the  perjured,  unprincipled,  and  extremely 
dissipated  Charles  the  second  to  the  throne,  without 
any  legal  restraints  on  his  absolute  power,  while  he 
had  no  claim  but  from  his  royal  blood,  or  hereditary 
right;  he  had  cot  been  in  possession,  except  in  Scot- 
land ;  they  were  under  no  obligation  of  oath  or  cove- 
nant to  receive  him  as  their  king  in  England.  In 
1688  they  had  learned  better.  When  James,  the  bro- 
ther of  Charles  II.  with  all  his  royal  blood,  had  abdi- 
cated the  throne,  passing  over  many  other  nearer 
royal  stems,  they  fixed  on  a  remote  branch,  not  for  the 
amount  of  the  royal  blood  in  his  veins,  but  from  poli- 
tical causes.  This  was  not  inconsistent  with  the  prin- 
ciples laid  down  in  the  Confession  of  Faith,  viz.  that. 
"  infidelity,  or  difference  of  religion,  does  not  make 
Toid  the  magistrate's  just  and  legal  authority,  nor  free 
the  people  from  their  obedience  to  him.'5  He  whom 
they  chose  was  a  Protestant,  but  of  a  different  deno- 
mination, 


THE    TWO   SOtfS   OF   OIL. 

He  appeals  to  the  martyrs  of  that    centim 
>scrve,  that  martyrdom  is  a  proof  of  sin 
ty,  but  i.ot  of  truth.    If  this  principle  is  given  up,  the 
Main  heretics  in  the  fourth  and  fifth 

centuries,  who  opposed  or  perverted  the  truth  of  the 
chriv  .  and  the  Donatists  and  Novation-, 

who  sulVered  martyrdom  for  not  submitting  to  the  es- 
tablished order,  could  appeal  to  a  very  numerous  ca- 
talogue of  martyrs  ;  and,  in  later  times,  the  church  of 
Rome  can  produce  fifty  thousand  martyrs  in  Japan, 
Abyssinia,  China,  ami  rre.  The  Arians  and 

Socinians  have  also  the  testimony  of  martyrs  in  their 
:r.    They    were,  no   doubt,  erroneous;    some  of 
these  sects  were   so  in  a  high  degree — therefore  we 
do  not  take  their  testimony,  for  which  they  suffered, 
of  truth  ;  but  it  would  be  uncharitable  not  to 
admit  it  as  a  test  of  their  sincerity.    The  thousands  of 
martyrs  under  the  baleful  union  of  church  and  state, 
during  its  unabated  reign,  laboured  under  errors  and 
mistakes  ;   but    the    testimony  for  which  they  greatly 
suffered,  was  the  gospel  of  Christ.  The  godly  bishops 
and  others,   who  suffered  under  the  union  of  church 
and  state  in  queen  Mary's  reign,   acknowledged  the 
adbhip  *,.  i    Knglancl,  though 

even  r  himself  had  lamented  the  imperfection 

of  their  reformation  ;  but  this  was  not  what  they  seal- 
ed with  their  blood — it  was  the  truth  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  with  to  which  bishop  Latimer  said, 

that  though  he  was  too  old  to  argue  for  C'/irist^  he  wa* 
not  too  old  to  die  for  him.  Yet  unfortunately,  on  the 
re-establishment  of  the  protcstant  religion  in  the  reign 
of  queen  Elizabeth,  on  this  principle,  the  papish 
rites  were  as  the  testimony  oi'  the  martyrs  rc-esta- 


260  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

blished  in  the  nation.  Here  was  the  snare  arising 
from  pinning  their  faith  on  the  martyrs.  The  earliest 
idolatry  in  the  Christian  church  was  idolizing  the  me- 
mories of  the  martyrs,  and  afterwards  their  relics  or 
bones.  In  Naples,  St.  Janesarius  is  worshipped  to 
this  day,  and  the  like  is  done  in  other  superstitious 
churches.  Let  none  substitute  their  confidence  in 
martyrs,  instead  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  in  the  scrip- 
tures of  truth,  which  is  the  only  sure  foundation  and 
pillar,  and  ground  of  truth—resting  on  any  other 
foundation  is  idolatry. 

There  were,  indeed,  numerous  martyrs  in  the  se- 
venteenth century.  In  France,  Piedmont,  and  other 
popish  countries  belonging  to  Babylon  the  great  >  the 
mother  of  harlots— -drunken  with  the  blood  of  the  saints  ; 
and  there  was  also  the  blood  of  martyrs  shed,  and 
other  grievous  oppressions  inflicted,  both  on  the 
spiritual  and  temporal  interests  of  Christians,  by  the 
little  Babylons,  viz.  the  anti Christian,  political,  protes- 
tant  establishments  in  Britain  and  elsewhere,  who, 
after  the  example  of  the  author's  standard  authority 
of  emperors  and  councils,  usurped  Christ's  legislative 
authority  over  his  body,  the  church  ;  but  he  has  not 
told  us  to  which  of  these  martyrs  he  appeals.  I  am 
still  more  at  a  loss  to  know  what  reformers  he  means. 
I  know  of  no  reformation  which  took  place  in  the  se- 
venteenth century.  There  were,  indeed,  many  great 
and  pious  divines  who  endeavoured  to  promote  refor- 
mation, but  without  success.  In  Britain  there  was  a 
successful  struggle  to  overturn  the  prelatical  hierar- 
chy, and  the  superstitions  accompanying  it ;  but  the 
prevailing  party  in  church  and  state  substituted  ane- 
ther  tyranny  in  its  place.  Those,  since  called  inde- 


THE   TWO    ' 

ng  of  such  learnrd  a» 
liurroug!  &c.  who 

igely  to  prepare  the  Confrs-^on  of 
1  ehisms,  first  '  the  polh; 

i  then  plead  a  on  from  the  civil  / 

pena  .so  far  as  to  enjoy  the  ri^iit  of  ord 

tion,  c-'.r.    It  was  refused.     They  plead  for  toleration  ; 

.    These  men,  who  had  been  among 
ornaments  of  the  assembly,  dissented  from  ra 

v  petitioned  that  no  civil  resirci/.:s  should  be 
laid  >;>i   t>  ..deuce!.    They  said  they  had  shed 

their  blood  to  pull  down  the  tyranny  of  the  bishops, 
united  vitli  the  state,  but  not  to  erect  another  in  its 
place.  Their  petitions  were  treated  with  silence. 
They  had  arms  in  their  hands  ;  they  turned  out  the 
major  .u  parliament;  the  members  of  the  as- 

sembly of  divines  had  gradually  withdrawn  the  Pres- 
byterians to  livings  under  the  establishments;  the  In- 
.. dents  to  their  voluntary,  unprotected,  and  unen- 
1    congregations — hence    called    Congregate -. 

a  the  army  seized  rnment,  they  pro- 

d  these  congregations,   as  friends  to   the  liberty 
!i    Christ   hr.cl    ii;ade   his   church   free  ;    and 
ulso  protected  the  Presbyterians  in  their  livings, 
as  holding  the  same  faith — when   the  government  of 
the  army  was  overturned,  after  the  death  ofCromv 
The  parliament  was  restored,  in  which  the  Presbyte- 
rians were  the  majority;    they  called  Charles   11.    to 
the    t  ithout   limitations  or   conditions,    ;.: 

the   election    of   a   new    parliament.     The    hicrar. 
with  all  its  tyranny  and  superstition  .  veral  ad- 

.s,  besides  that  ot  .cnt  and   re- 

,  were  restored,  and  the  Presbyterians  and  In- 


-JO-  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

dependents    suffered    equal    severity   of    persecution 
during  the  two  succeeding  reigns. 

This    was    the    greatest  struggle   for  reform 

'  g  that  century  ;  but  it  is  evident  that  only  a  vew 
partial,  reformation  was  attempted.  The  bishops  ty 
rannized  over  the  lower  clergy  and  the  people,  as 
they  had  done  in  the  reign  of  Constantine,  and  sup- 
ported the  despotic  power  of  the  kings.  Against  this 
double  tyranny,  both  doctrinal  jvnd  political  puritans 
joined  to  overturn  the  tyrants  ;  the  doctrinal  partizans 
were  gratlHed  by  the  removal  of  bishops  and  a  num- 
ber of  popish  rites — but  they  only  changed  the  tyran- 
ny into  other  hands;  though  they  reformed  many 
abuses,  they  still  retained  the  fundamental  principle 
of  Popery,  viz.  the  power  of  making  laws  over  Christ's 
house.  They  indeed  declared  the  scriptures  to  be  the 

ect  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  but  prescribed  the 
exclusive  sense  in  which  Christians  should  receive  it, 
under  civil  penalties.  That  the  Westminster  parlia- 
ment and  assembly,  and  the  assembly  and  parliament 
of  Scotland,  agreed  upon  and  ratified  a  system  of 
doctrines  much  more  agreeable  to  the  scriptures  than 
any,  or  all  the  creeds  established  and  enforced  by  the 
author's  standard  councils  or  emperors,  or  all  the  ca- 
nonical councils  from  the  first,  viz.  that  of  Nice,  rati- 
fied by  Constantine,  to  the  last,  viz.  that  of  Trent,  rati- 
fied by  the  emperor  and  other  sovereign  princes,  is 
admitted.  The  council  of  Trent  ratified  all  the  de- 
crees of  the  former  canonical  councils,  including 
those  recommended  by  the  author,  and,  as  all  the 
others  had  done,  made  additions  and  explanations  to> 
them.  The  doctrinal  puritans  were  not  to  blame  for 
the  .result. 


THE  S   OF   OIL.  MCS 

To  prevent  mistakes,   I  approve  of  the   doctrine* 
contained  in  the  \Ycsi.  Lonfcasion,  as  the  - 

trine  ot"  the  i  <le  to  the  word  oi' 

God  ;  and  I  take  it  as  the  cxpobhio;- 
as  1  oui^ht  to  do  any  human  composition  or 

jut  not  the  authority  of  the  assemblies  and  par- 
nts  whk.  <rced  them  by  civil  pe- 

nalties. God  forbid,  that  I  should  subject  my  con- 
ce  to  the  dictates  of  tke  consciences  of  other 
who  cannot  I  r  me  at  the  judgment  scat 

Mild   rcc<  Mibstitute  for 

-cripture.    The  cxpedi  >   and  coi. 

ion  among-  Christian  dcnomina- 

M    does  not   result    irom  any  divine    command  of 

lample  of  tlie  Christian  church, 

in  iis  pti:  What  is  cali  ; jostle's  creed, 

it  is  now  admitted,  xvus  not  known  till  about  the  fourth 
i  and  \vhat  has  been  very  impro- 
ved  pious  frauds,  became  fashionable      How- 
mi  ains   such  a  plain  and  simple  summary  of 
colic  doctrines,    that    both  Popish  and  protestant 
-pect    it,   without  difference    of  opinion, 
i>t  witli  respect  to  the  descent  of  Christ  into  hell, 
'•  mute  of  tin-  tlcv.L    It  is  taken  wholly  from  the 

tne  creed,  instead 
i  ulation   of  endless  di- 
•  :i  and  bloody  persecutions  ;  and  every  o 

iaid    councils  did  the  ,  the 

council  of  Trent  luidthe  foundation 

in   the  church   of  Ron     - 
nalii'.  received  it. 

••[    both    l?.\v    r  e[    to 

every    man's    urn!  ;   and   r> 


264  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

answer  for  himself,  and  abide  the  pains  cf  everlasting 
fire  in  hell,  where  the  worm  diet/mot,  and  the  Jire  is  not 
quenclicd,  as  the  penalty  of  rejecting  or  misapproving 
them  ;  or  else,  on  improving  them,  to  enjoy  incon- 
ceivable happiness  in  heaven  to  all  eternity":  and  also 
having  indued  every  man  with  that  exercise  of  his 
memory,  understanding,  judgment,  and  reason,  which 
we  call  conscience^  which,  by  comparing  the  conduct 
and  opinions  with  the  divine  laws,  gives  peace  by  its 
approbation ;  or,  by  condemning,  turns  even  the  soft- 
est bed  into  a  bed  of  thorns,  and  the  apparently  most 
eligible  situation  into  a  kind  of  hell,  which  disturbs 
the  slumbers,  embitters  the  most  pleasing  enjoyments, 
and  renders  the  approach  of  death  tremendously  aw- 
ful. Considering  this,  I  have  often  wondered  how  it 
entered  into  the  heart  of  vain,  ignorant,  and  sinful 
men,  to  add  to  the  rewards  and  punishments  of  divine 
appointment,  with  respect  to  those  things  for  which 
we  are  solely  accountable  to  God  ;  especially  when  it 
has  been  confirmed  by  near  1500  years  experience, 
that  civil  punishments  of  the  most  excruciating  kinds, 
or  rewards  the  most  flattering,  never  could  convert 
a  soul  to  Christ,  riot  having  the  divine  appointment 
for  that  purpose.  That  it  was  by  the  terrors  of  the 
Lord,  and  his  constraining  love  of  Christ,  that  the 
apostles  persuaded  men  to  be  reconciled  to  God,  is 
the  scripture  account. 

In  the  present  divided  state  of  the  church,  in  or- 
der that  Christians,  in  holding  communion  with  God, 
and  with  each  other,  should  know  each  other's  opi- 
nions, in  matters  of  such  religious  controversy,  as 
prevail  in  the  present  day,  it  is  necessary  that  terms 
of  communion  should  be  agreed  on.  This  necessity 


TKK   TWO  SOWS  OF   OIL. 

does  not  arise  from  the  nature  of  the  Christian  religion, 
of  which  the  scriptures  art-  both  the  foundation  and  the 
rule,  but  from  the  distracted  and  divided  state  of  the 
church.  It  was  not  so  from  the  beginning,  nor  will  it 
be  so  when  the  happy  time  comes,  when  the  knowledge 
of  the  Lord  shall  cover  the  earth  as  (/if  waters  cover 
the  sea  ;  and  when  Jew  and  Gentile  shall  be  as  one 
and  when  the  rusty  acquired  through 
long  ages  of ..  :/  distraction^  shall 

be  /i:  :y.    But  lei  the  iVamcrs  of  ihcse  tests  of 

orthodoxy  take  cart*  that  tlv:y  do  not  exclude  such 
Christians  from  church  communion,  as  the  apostles, 
under  the  immediate  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
admitted.  Doing  so,  is  not  feeding'  Christ's  sheep  or 
weak  lambs,  but  smiting  and  banishing  them  from  his 
fthi-fpfold. 

The  author  must  have  laboured  under  some  mis- 
take, in  appealing  to  t1  of  the  seventeenth 

ury  ;  thaf  was  not  >rmation.  It  i 

opinion  of  all  the  divii  ks  I  have  perused 

on  t!  y   the  pr 

tant  churchc:-.  .g,  and  tome  of  them 

drawing  nearer  to  the  church  of  Rome  ;  while,  at  the 
same  time,  the  church  of  Rome  was  slowly  and  silent- 
ly becoming  more  enlightened,  and  purging  off  her 
dross.  To  this  purj;  .  .ngelical  Mr. 

Trail's  Vindication   of   the    Protestant  Doctrine,   8cc. 

•.duly  in  no  period  .,-   reformation,  were  so 

MCCS,  nobles,  and  other  protestant  p. 
reconciled  to  the  church  of  Rome,  as  in  the   seven- 

ith  century.    During  the  sixteenth  century,  before 
the  political  establishment  of  the  reformed  churches, 

urch  of  Rome  left 


266  OBSERVATIONS   O-N 

much  of  her  ancient  splendour  and  majesty  as  soon  as 
Luther,  and  the  other  luminaries  of  the  reformation, 
had  exhibited  to  the  view  of  the  European  nations  the 
Christian  religion,  and  restored  it  at  least  to  a  conside- 
rable part  of  its  native  purity,  and  delivered  it  from 
many  of  the  superstitions,  under  which  it  had  lain  s>o 
long  disguised." 

Here  the  historian  admits,  that  the  reformation 
was  not  perfect ;  that  purity  was  only  restored  in  a 
considerable  degree  ,•  and  that  the  church  was  deliver- 
ed only  from  many,  not  from  all  the  superstitions  under 
•which  she  lay  disguised.  This  indeed  was  a  fair  and 
a  blessed  beginning  of  reformation,  but  alas  !  its  pro- 
gress was  stopped  too  soon  ;  princes  stepped  into  the 
throne  of  Christ,  and  made  laws  for  his  house;  and 
they  made  it  the  temporal  interest  of  the  clergy  to 
acquiesce  with  this  usurped  authority.  Thus  church 
and  state  combined  to  stop  the  progress  of  reforma- 
tion, and  said  unto  it,  hitherto  shalt  thou  come,  and  ne 
further.  Hence  it  came  to  pass,  that,  instead  of  a  re- 
formed church  of  Christ  in  Europe,  we  have  a  church 
of  England,  of  Scotland,  Holland,  Sweden,  Denmark, 
Sec.  each  of  them  modelled  by  the  authority,  and  agree- 
able to  the  policy  or  caprice  of  the  respective  civil 
governments.  Hence  arose  a  number  of  little  Baby- 
Ions,  separated  indeed  by  various  shades  of  difference 
from  the  great  Babylon,  but,  like  her,  in  a  greater  or 
lesser  degree,  stained  with  the  blood  of  the  saints, 
and  trading  in  the  souls,  i.  e.  the  minds  or  consciences  of 
men,  and  agreeing  with  her  in  the  foundation  on  which 
she  has  erected  her  throne*  viz.  on  a  human  legisla- 
tive authority  in  Christ's  spiritual  kingdom,  paramount 
to  the  lavs  o"  Ch;  ;s«:  hims  \U". 


IHJtl    1  WO  SONS   OF   OIL. 

•.urn  to  the  objections  founded  on  ttom. 
— -7.  and  Mat.  on  which  I  l>a\ 

•;)iiii'in  <>f  the  Westminster  dairies,  and  of  tl. 

Uvc  church  of  Scotland  ;    to  these  I  will  add 

of   the   re!  I'.mong  w 

Ivin  stood  on  high  ground. 

;  oin  the  law  of  Moses,  that 
,    and  rminen'.ly  evangelical   divine,    Martin 
l.i-ther,  on  (ialutians  iii.  19.    shew  i  at  lar^e,  from  the 
..nl  circumstances  of  giving  that  law,   r 
.,dure  but  for  a  short  time,  and  on   the 
.:egory   of  the   Loud  woman   and   ti.» 
...  iv.  21,  fcc.  he    shews   the    difference    bet  • 
Jerusalem    that  then  was,    and   was   in  bo::* 

children,   viz.  the    Jewish  church,    and    the 
Jerusalem  that  is  above,  viz.  tlie  gospel  char; 

of  all  true  believers,     lie  agrees  \vitli 
1   uoctors  in  the  abolishment  of  the  judicial 
and    ceremonial     law — but     condemns    the    dilli 

(  s  they  assign  to  scripture,  and  particularly  their 
;ig  obedience  even  to  the  moral  law,  as  a  con- 
ditit  ith  (lod,  and  that  the  unbc: 

erred  in  this  respect,  as  much  I  hing 

e  to  the  law  oj  condition  of  jtis- 

•  ith  God. 

:-  proving  this  at  large,  he    s::ys :  "Ti 
another   abolishment  of  the   law,    which   is   out- 
ward, to  wit,  that  the  politic  Inns  of  Moses  do  nothing 
Li-ion;.;  unto  us."    That  is  to  say,  the  parts  oi"  this  law 
to  the  civil  administration  of  the  Jewish 
govi  have  no  relation  to  Christians. 

On  chap.    v.  3.-, — "  Pie  that  is  circumcised,   is  also 
bound   to  keep  the  whole  law.     For  he  that  rcceiveth 


Moses  in  one  point,  must  of  necessity  receive  him  ii> 
all.  And  it  helpeth  nothing  to  say,  that  circumcision 
is  necessary,  but  not  the  rest  of  the  laws:  for  by  the 
same  reason  that  then  art  bound  to  keep  circi:- 

sion,  thou  art  also  bound  to  keep  the  whole. SMHC 

would  bind  as,  even  at  this  day,  to  certain  of  Moses' 
laws  that  please  them  best,  as  the  false  apostles  would 
have  done  at  that  time.  B  it  this  is  in  no  wise  to  be 
.suffered :  for,  if  we  give  Moses  leave  to  rule  over  us 
in  any  thing,  we  are  bound  to  obey  him  in  all  things. 
Wherefore  we  will  not  be  burthened  with  any  law  of 
Moses.  We  grant  that  he  is  to  be  read  among  us  as 
a  prophet  and  a  witness  bearer  of  Christ:  and  more- 
over, that  out  of  him  we  may  take  good  examples  of 
good  laws  and  holy  life.  But  we  will  not  suffer  him  in 
any  wise  to  have  dominion  over  the  conscience." 

As  to  this  great  reformer's  opinions,  with  respect 
to  obedience  to  the  lawful  commands  of  such  govern- 
ments, as  God,  in  his  providence,  had  set  over  them, 
I  have  not  access  to  his  writings  on  that  subject,  but 
we  know  well  his?  practice  and  his  instructions  to  the 
persecuted  churches  ;  his  letters  to  those  who  receiv- 
ed his  doctrine,  and  who  were  subjects  to  the  Popish 
persecuting  duke  of  Brunswick,  who  charged  the  re- 
formers as  inimical  to  his  government,  because  they 
withdrew  from  his  religion,  exhorting  them  to  loyalty 
and  sufferings,  least,  by  doing  otherwise,  they  should 
bring  reproach  on  the  doctrine  of  the  reformation,  is 
well  known,  and  perfectly  corresponds  with  the  in* 
structions  of  the  apostles  to  the  churches.  It  is  well 
known  that  the  learned  Melancthon,  the  intimate  col- 
league of  Luther,  who  wrote  a  common-place  book  or 
system,  (received  at  that  period  as  a  standard  autho- 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  269 

it  is  understood,  mentioned  the  same  doctrine. 
(1  all  the  Lutheran  divines  did  the  same. 
The  great  reformer  Calvin,   long  looked    up  to  as 
•rcat  vindicator  of  the  reformation,  and  teacher 
of  the  reformed  churches,  and  whom  Melancthon,  an 
elder  reformer,  then  called  his  divine  by  way  of  emi- 
c,  wrote  his  institution  of  the  Christian  religion, 
dedicated    to    the    persecuting    king   of    France,  and 
principally  for  the  persecuted  churches  in  France,   of 
which  he  had  been  minister ;  this  work  he  revised  se- 
:  times  till  his  death,  and  it  became  the  common- 
place book  of  divinity  for  all  the  reformed  churches, 
till  it  was  epposed  by  the  Arminians.  From  that  time 
till  now,  those  who  continue  to  preach  the  doctrines 
of   the  reformation  are   still  called  Calvinists.     This 
learned  v  many  hands,  and  from  it  the  follow- 

re  taken  : 

44  But    whereas,   I    promised  to   speak   with   what 
'an  civil  state  oii^ht  to  be  ordered.  There 
is  no   QftUftE  why  any   man  should  look  for  a  long  dis- 
course of  the  best  kind  of  laws,  which  should  be  infi- 
.    pertained  not  to  this  present   purpose  and 
place  :  yet,  in  a  few  words,  and  as  it  were,  by  the  way,  I 
.at  laws  it  may  use  godlily   before  God, 
and  be   rightly  governed  by  them  among  men,  which 
self  thing  I  had  rather   ha,  .1  over   in    silence, 

if  I  did  not  understand  that  some  do  herein  perilously 
err.    1  e  be  some  that  deny  that  a  common  weal 

is  well  oicU-!v.cl,  which  neglecting  the  civil  laws  of  Mo- 
ses, is  governed  by  the  common  laws  of  nations.  How 
dangerous  and  troublesome  this  sentence  is,  let  other 
icier  ;  it  shall  be  enough  for  me  to  have  shew- 
ed that  it  is  Neither  in  the  mean 
z  2 


OBSERVATIONS  ON 

time,  let  any  man  be  cumbered  with  this  doubt,  that 
judicials  and  ceremonials  also  pertain  to  the  moral 
laws.  For  although  the  old  writers  which  have  taught 
this  division,  were  not  ignorant  that  these  two  latter 
parts  had  their  use  about  manners,  yet  because  they 
might  be  changed  and  abrogate,  the  morals  remain- 
ing safe  they  did  not  call  them  morals.  They  called 
that  first  part  peculiarly  by  that  name,  without  which 
cannot  stand  the  true  holiness  of  manners,  and  the  un- 
changeable rule  of  living  rightly. 

Sec.  15.  "Therefore  the  moral  law  (that  I  may 
begin  thereat)  since  it  is  contained  in  two  chief  points, 
of  which  the  one  commanded!  simply  to  worship  God 
with  pure  faith  and  godliness,  and  the  other  to  em- 
brace men  with  unfeigned  love,  is  the  true  and  eter- 
Jial  rule  of  righteousness  prescribed  to  the  men  ot  all 
ages  and  times  that  will  be  willing  to  frame  their  life 
to  the  will  of  God.  For  this  is  his  eternal  and  un- 
changeable will. The  judicial  law  given  to  them 

for  an  order  of  civil  state,  gave  certain  rules  of  equi- 
ty and  righteousness,  by  which  they  might  behave 

themselves   harmlessly  and  quietly  together. As, 

therefore,  the  ceremonies  might  he  abrogate,  godli- 
ness remaining  safe  and  undestroyed :  so  these  judi- 
cial ordinances  also  being  taken  away,  the  perpetual 
dudes  and  commandments  of  charity  may  continue. 
If  this  be  true,  verily  there  is  liberty  left  to  every  na- 
tion to  make  such  laws  as  they  shall  foresee  to  be  pro- 
fitable for  them. Now  since  it  is  certain  that  the 

h»w  of  God,  which  we  call  moral,  is  nothing  else  but 
a  testimony  of  the  natural  law,  and  of  that  conscience 
which  is  engraven  of  God  in  the  mincis  of  men,  the 
whole  rule  of  this  equity  whereof  we  now  speak  is  set 


he  both 
.   and  rule  iind  end  of    all  laws.     \Y : 

that  rulv  r-d  to  that 

mark,  and  limited  in  that  end,  there  is  no  cause  \\hy 
h ou Id  disallow   them,  er  they   othenvise 

l.iw,  or  one  from  another." 

The  great  and   learned   reformer   here   goes   on  to 
shew,  at  •  .:ole  length,  that  the  same  penalties, 

for   the  same  would   not   equally   apply  to  all 

nations,  nor  to  the  same  nation  at  all  times  ;    that  the 

or  the  protection  of  so- 

•'ibborn    people,    prone    to    disorder, 

would  be  umu  M>  a  people  peaceably  disposed  ; 

and  that  the  same  penalties  that  often  became  neces- 

in  the  time  of  war,  attended  with  murder  and  ra- 

v  in  settled  times  of  peace  ; 

that,  therefore,    nations  have  a   right,  and  it  is   I 
duty,  to  '  ,.eir  penal  laws  according  to  circum- 

stances ;    but  all  of  them  ought  to  have  some  end  in 
view,  to  punish  what  is  condemned  by  th  .  and 

unc.hangr  t  ,od.     I  will  give  the  conclu 

some  say,   that  the  law  01 

"tired,  when  it  being  abro- 
gate,  new  ar  it,   is  most  vain, 
preferred   above    i 

of  ti  it  her 

is  that  abrogate  v 

the  v*  by   the   hand    of  M« 

which  should  be  i  !  into  all  nations,   and 

rish  every  where:  imi  vhcn  he    had  received  th. 
tion  of  the  j.  .    and  pi «. 


272  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

tion,  he  willed  to  be  a  lawmaker  peculiarly  to  them." 
The  author  elsewhere  calls  the  nioral  law  of  the 
ten  commandments  "  a  taste  or  instruction  of  the  law 
of  nature." 

We  are  well  informed  that  not  only  Zuinglius,the  re- 
former of  Switzerland ;  Hulrick  Campbell,  the  reformer 
of  the  Grisson  country,  and  all  their  eminent  associates, 
but  the  persecuted  reformers  of  the  French  churches, 
maintained  the  same  principles  on  this  question.  The 
celebrated  John  Welsh,  of  Scotland,  when  at  Rochelle, 
with  the  persecuted  protestants,  when  called  on  to 
answer  before  the  persecuting-  Louis  XIII.  for  the 
doctrine  he  taught,  answered,  that  he  taught  that  he 
(Louis)  was  lawful  king  of  France,  and  not  subject  to 
any  foreign  jurisdiction,  i.  c.  not  subject  to  the  Pope. 
Thus  testifying  in  favour  of  the  legitimate  authority 
of  that  Popish  persecuting  king  ;  but  at  the  same  time 
bearing  testimony  against  the  authority  of  the  Pope. 
The  persecuted  reformers  in  Savoy,  Italy,  Austria, 
Hungary  and  Poland,  supported  the  same  testimony. 

That  pious  and  learned  divine,  professor  of  divini- 
ty and  eminent  preacher,  David  Dickson,  who  taught 
divinity  to  the  other  eminent  Presbyterian  divines  in 
Scotland,  and  did  honour  to  that  church  in  the  seven- 
teenth century,  in  his  Truth's  Victory  over  Error,  con- 
taining the  doctrine  which  he  taught  his  students, 
fully  supports  the  doctrine  of  the  Confession  of  Faith 
on  these  texts — and  so  aiso  did  his  associates  and  stu- 
dents ;  so  also  did  the  learned  Pool,  arid  other  emi- 
nent commentators  in  England,  of  that  century.  I  am, 
therefore,  at  a  loss  to  know  to  which  of  the  reformers 
of  the  sixteenth  or  seventeenth  century,  or  to  what 


THfc  TWO   SONS  Or 

irned  divines  ami   protestMit  churcht 
support. 

Hut.    !  he  cloctri- 

formed  churr  l  all 

periods,  I  will  ex  .^e   of  th  1  and  ap- 

ed  commutators   of    the   last   century,  through 
more  than  ha 

Tht  <   on  Mat.  *xii.  2i — "  They 

say  unto  him  C-cs  ren- 

,  unto  Csesar  the  things  tha: 

and  unto  God  the  things  that  are  (.  >Iis  con- 

victing them  01  hypocricy  might  have  served  for  an 
answer  ;  such  captious  questions  deserve  a  reproof, 
not  a  reply  ;  but  our  Lord  Jesus  gave  a  full  answer  to 
their  question,  and  introduced  it  by  an  argument  suf- 
ficient to  support  it,  so  as  to  lay  down  a  rule  for  his 
church  in  t!  is  matter,  and  yet  to  avoid  giving  offence 
and  to  break  the  snare.  He  forced  them,  ere  they  - 
aware,  to  confess  Caesar's  authority  over  them — v.  19, 
20.  .  ig  with  those  that  are  exc.  it  is 

good  to  give  our  reasons,  and,  if  possible,  reasoi, 
confessed  cogency,  IK;  utions. — 

coining  of  money  has  always  been  looked  upon 
branch  of  the  royal  prerogative,  a  flower  of  the 
i^ing  to  sovereign  princes,  and 

the  admitting  1  and   lawful    money  of  the 

country,   is  an   implicit   submission    to  these    powers. 

Christ  as  and  they 

•  (1  those 

who  said,   we   v,  cix-  ;:ever  in  bondage  to 
any,    am!  ids    said,    li'tf 

V/HJJT  but  Cz'fjur. From  thence  he  inf«. -. 

the  lawfulness  of  pu}ing  tribute  to  Cu;s:ir.   v.  1 1.  Hi  n- 


274  «rs?  v.  vrwNs  ON 


der,  therefore,  to  (  that  arc  Cesar's, 

not  give  it  him,  as  thcv  repressed  it  (v.  17)  but  render 
is,  return  or  restore  u  ;  \i  Caesar  fills  the  purses,  let 
C;£sar  command  them;  it  is  too  late  to  dispute  pay- 
in:.;  tribute  to  Caesar,  for  you  are  become  a  province 
of  the  empire,  and  whop,  once  a  relation  is  admitted, 
tiie  duty  of  it  must  be  performed.  -  His  disciples 
were  instructed,  and  a  standing  rule  It  ft  to  the 
church." 

The  learned  and  evangelical  Scott,  an  approved 
English  commentator  at  the  close  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  as  Henry  was  at  the  beginning  of  it,  on  Mat. 
rxxii.  15,  22,  says,  "  But  Jesus  gave  them  to  under- 
stand that  he  was  fully  aware  of  their  insidious  de- 
signs ;  yet,  he  chose  to  answer  the  question,  because 
he  intended  to  graft  on  it  important  instruction.  Hav- 
ing, therefore,  obtained  the  coin  in  which  the  tribute 
was  paid,  and  drawn  them  to  acknowledge  that  it  was 
stamped  with  C&sar's  image  and  name,  he  tacitly  in- 
ferred that  Csesar  was  the  civil  ruler  to  whom  God 
had  subjected  them  :  and,  therefore,  as  they  derived 
protection  and  the  benefits  of  magistracy  from  him  (of 
which  the  currency  of  the  coin  was  evidence)  they 
were  not  only  allowed,  but  required,  to  render  to  him 
both  tribute  and  civil  honour  and  obedience.  At  the 
same  time  they  must  render  to  God  that  honour,  wor- 
ship, love,  and  service  which  his  commandments 
claimed,  and  which  were  justly  due  to  him,  and  not 
disobey  him  out  of  regard  to  any  earthly  sovereign." 

I  subjoin  some  extracts  from  Henry  on  Rom.  xiii. 
1,  5.  "We  are  taught  how  to  carry  ourselves  towards 
magistrates,  and  those  that  are  in  authority  over  us, 
called  here  high  powers,  intimating  their  authority; 


THE   TWO    SON'S   OF    OIL.  275 

they  arc  p  ;ul  in  the 

rr  powers  ;    including  not  only  the   king  as  supreme, 
11  inferior  ma^ist:  le*  him;    and  yet   it  is 

1,  not  l>y  the  persons  that  are   in  taut  p< 
power,   but  the  place  and  power   itself  in  which  they 
are.    However,  the    persons  themselves  may  be  wick- 
persons    which   the  citizens  of 
1.  xv.  4.)  yet  the   power  which 

ir.ive  HI  .  emitted  to  and  obeyed. The 

duty  enj-  ry   stnl  be  subject.    Every  soul, 

:'.  r.  <  .  one  as  well  as  another.  iv>t  exclud- 

•ives  Bph*itUft1   per 

.  i-oin 

i']  to  the  fi\il   powers.    Kvery  soul:    not  that 

be  subjected  to  the  will  of  men  ; 

'.lately  to 

ist  rciider  to  (iod   the 
;    but  it  intimates  that  our  sub- 
jection nui>.t  id  voluntary,  ,d hearty. 
44  This  subjection  of  soul,  here  required,  includes 
ir  (1   l\i.  ii.  17.)  and  outwiiid  reverence 
in^;  to  them  and  speaking 
P  Commands  in  things  law- 
;  1   in  other  things  a.  patient  submLs- 
;  ce ;  a   conformity 

our  ininris  to  tin:  :uon,  and 

the  in!  .  dination  of  it." 

The  auihor,  after  i  ry  of  such 

dire< 

*'  The  apostle,  tor  obviating  th-dt  reproach,   and  the 
clearing  of  c-  y  from  it,  shews  that  obedience 

to  civil  magistrates  is  one  of  th  Christ,  v 


276  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

religion  helps  to  make  people  good  subjects,  and  it 
is  very  unjust  to  charge  upon  Christianity  that  faction 
and  rebellion,  which  its  principles  and  rules  are  so 
directly  contrary  to."  After  describing  the  objects  of 
the  institution  of  civil  magistracy,  and  the  necessity 
of  it,  he  says,  "  This  is  the  intention  of  magistracy, 
and,  therefore,  we  must,  for  conscience  sake,  be  sub- 
ject to  it,  as  a  constitution  designed  for  the  public 
good,  to  which  all  private  interests  must  give  way. 
But  pity  it  is  that  ever  this  gracious  intention  should 
be  perverted,  and  that  those  that  hear  the  sword, 
while  they  countenance  and  connive  at  sin,  should  be 
a  terror  to  those  that  do  well.  But  so  it  is,  when  the 
-vilest  men  are  exalted — and  yet,  even  then,,  the  bless- 
ing and  benefit  of  a  common  protection,  and  a  face  of 
government  and  order,  is  such,  as  that  it  is  our  duty 
in  that  case,  rather  to  submit  to  persecution  for  well 
doing,  and  to  take  it  patiently,  than  by  irregular  and 
disorderly  practices,  to  attempt  redress.  Never  did  so- 
vereign prince  pervert  the  ends  of  government  as 
Nero  did,  and  yet  to  him  Paul  appealed,  and  under 
him  had  the  protection  of  the  law  and  the  inferior 
magistrates  more  than  once.  Better  a  bad  govern- 
ment than  none  at  all. Thou  hast  the  benefit  and 

advantage  of  government,  and,  therefore,  must  do 
what  thou  canst  to  preserve  it,  and  nothing  to  disturb 
it.  Protection  draws  allegiance.  If  we  have  protection 
from  the  government,  we  are  in  subjection  to  it;  by 
upholding  the  government  we  keep  up  our  own 
hedge.  This  subjection  is  likewise  consented  to  by 
the  tribute  we  pay.  For  this  cause  pay  you  tribute, 
as  an  acknowledgment  of  your  submission,  and  as  aa 
acknowledgment  that  in  conscience  you  think  it  due." 


THE   TWU   SONS  OF  OIL.  177 

The  learned  Scott,  on  Rom.  xiii.  1.  says — "The 
Jews  entertained  various  scruples  on  the  lawfulness 
of  obeying  heathen  magistrates  ;  and  this  gave  occa- 
sion to  many  turbulent  spirits  to  excite  scandalous 
and  ruinous  insurrection  :  and  the  same  spirit  might 
P  in  among  Christians,  to  the  great  disgrace  of  it ; 
as  in  later  times,  ecclesiasticks,  especially  in  the 
church  of  Rome,  claimed  the  most  exorbitant  exemp- 
ions  in  this  particular.  The  apostle,  therefore,  used 
the  most  decisive  language  on  this  subject :  *  every 
soul,'  or  person,  whether  a  Jewish  or  a  Gentile  con- 
vert, pri\.  ian  or  minister,  or  however  distin- 
guished by  miraculous  gifts,  or  by  his  station  in  thr 
church,  was  absolutely  required  to  be  subject  to  the 
authority  and  edicts  of  those,  who  held  authority  in 
the  state  ;  that  is,  in  all  things  lawful.  The  higher 
powers  at  Rome  were  not  only  heathen,  but  oppres- 
sive, and  even  persecuting  powers;  and  Nero,  who 
was  then  emperor,  was  a  monster  of  cruelty,  caprice, 
and  wickedness,  JKM  hups  unparalleled  in  the  annals  of 
mankind  :  made  on  that  account. 
Christian--  -  look  above  such  concerns  ;  and  tr» 
consider  God  as  the  source  of  all  power,  and  civil  go- 
vernment as  his  appointment  for  the  benefit  of  man- 
kind.  It  was,  therefore,  incumbent  on  all  chris- 

to  render  a  prompt  and  quiet  obedience  to  those 

governors,  under  whom  their  lot  \ras  cast,   patiently 

submitiing  to  the  hardships,  and  thankfully  receiving 

the  benefits,  thence  resulting ;    without  objecting   to 

the  vices  of  the   constitution,  the  administration,  or 

:lers,  as  an  excuse  for  refusing  subjection.    It  it* 

hat  the  apostle  did  not  mean    to  determine 

the  i1'  >it  of  absolute  monarchy,  or  exclusively 

Aa 


278  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

ef  any  form  of  government;  but  to  inculcate  subjection 
to  the  ruling  powers  of  every  place  and  time,  in  which 
believers  lived.  But  as  the  benefits  of  civil  govern- 
ment are  many  and  great,  and  it  is  the  appointment  of 
God  for  maintaining  order  among  the  apostate  race  of 
men :  so  any  man,  who  set  himself  to  oppose  the  esta- 
blished government  of  that  nation  in  which  he  lived, 
•would  be  considered  as  resisting  the  providence,  and 
rebelling  against  the  authority  of  God,  who  gave  the 
rulers  their  authority,  and  will  himself  call  them  to 
account  for  the  use  which  they  make  of  it.  Whatever 
be  the  form  of  the  existing  government,  or  the  way  by 
which  it  was  established  ;  while  it  continues  to  exist, 
it  must  be  regarded  and  submitted  to  as  the  appoint- 
ment of  Providence.— Some  have  urged,  against  the 
interpretation  here  given,  that  if  this  be  indeed  the 
rule  of  our  religion,  it  lays  it  open  to  the  charge  of 
abetting  tyranny,  and  being  inimical  to  civil  liberty. 
But  I  apprehend  that  this  is  not  the  case  :  for  all  the 
crimes  committed  by  usurpers,  tyrants,  and  oppress- 
ors, are  at  least  as  severely  condemned  in  scripture, 
as  those  committed  by  rebels  and  traitors.  Now  a  reli- 
gion cannot  justly  be  regarded  as  abetting  tyranny,  or 
as  inimical  to  civil  liberty,  which  denounces  the  se- 
verest vengeance  on  those  who  act  tyrannically,  and 
unjustly  deprive  men  of  liberty.  The  apostle  was  not 
writing  a  treatise  on  politics,  but  teaching  a  company 
of  private  Christians  their  duty. — But  it  should  be  con- 
sidered, on  the  other  hand,  whether  the  charge  of  be- 
ing seditious,  and  * hurtful  to  kings  and  provinces,' 
has  not,  in  every  age,  been  brought  against  the  zea- 
lous worshippers  of  God  ?  Whether  this  has  not  been, 
and  is  not  at  this  day,  the  main  pretext  of  persecutors. 


TUK  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL. 

and  of  those  who  would  exclude  the  preachers  of  th« 
gospel  out  of  their  several  districts  ?  And  whether  the 
necessity  which  is  laid  on  Christians  '  to  obey  God  ra- 
ther than  man,'  is  not,  in  many  cases,  likely  enough 
to  exasperate  the  spirit  of  haughty  princes,  without 
openly  avowing,  that  there  are  other  cases,  in  which 
we  are  not  bound  to  obey  them  ?  Cases,  which  in  fact 
call  their  right  to  authority  in  question  ;  and  directly 
impeach  their  wisdom  and  justice.  Surely  this  is  suit- 
ed to  increase  that  jealousy  against  the  ministers,  mis- 
sionaries, and  professors  of  the  gospel,  in  the  minds 
of  rulers,  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  which  to  this  day 
forms  one  grand  barrier  to  the  propagation  of  Chris- 
tianity. A  barrier  insurmountable,  except  by  the  pow- 
er of  God.  Had  the  primitive  Christians  explained  the 
apostle's  doctrine,  with  so  many  exceptions  and  limi- 
tations, as  numbers  do  at  present, and  acted  accord. 
Jy  ;  and  had  Christianity  assumed  that  political  aspect, 
which  it  lias  generally  borne  in  later  ages,  (arising 
from  the  circumstances  of  the  unu  s)  nothing  but  a 
constant  succession  of  miracles  could  have  prevented 
its  extirpation,  by  the  rage  of  its  numerous  persecu- 
tors.'* 

V.  3 — 5.  "  If  the  ruler  abuse  his  authority,  God 
will  call  him  to  an  account  for  it ;  there  are  legal  and 
constitutional  checks  upon  those,  who  want  to  intro- 
duce tyranny ;  and,  on  great  occasions,  the  people 
will  sometimes,  with  one  consent,  arise  against  a 
cruel  oppressor,  and  subvert  his 'government ;  (as  the 
Romans  did  against  Nero,  who  was  condemned  by  the 
senate  to  die,  as  an  enemy  to  mankind,  with  the  up* 

probation  of  the  whole  world), The  same  authority 

which  commands  children  to  honour  their  parents, 


•380  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

commands  subjects  to  honour  their  rulers :  and  they 
should  honour  them  in  the  same  manner/' 

The  Rev.  Matthew  Henry,  from  whom  part  of  the; 
above  extracts  are  taken,  was  the  son  of  an  eminent 
puritan  minister,  who  was  removed  from  his  congre- 
gation for  non-conformity  at  the  restoration,  and  paid 
great  attention  to  the  education  of  his  son,  who,  after 
being  well  instructed  in  both  divinity  and  civil  law, 
chose  to  devote  himself  to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel, 
notwithstanding  the  prevailing  persecution  of  non-con- 
formists. He  lived,  however,  and  published  his  com- 
mentaries, after  the  toleration  of  dissenters  took  place. 
The  Rev.  Thomas  Scott,  rector,  i.  e.  minister  of  Aston 
Sanford,  (London)  at  present  of  the  established  church 
of  England,  is  well  known  by  some  practical  works, 
as  well  as  by  his  excellent  notes  on  the  Bible.  I  se- 
lected the  above  extracts  from  these  two  eminent  di- 
vines, who  wrote  near  one  hundred  years  apart,  but 
(though  in  different  communions)  taught  the  same 
doctrines,  and  because  their  works  are  more  gene- 
rally consulted  and  relied  on  by  the  orthodox,  than 
other  commentators.  Extracts  to  the  same  purpose 
might  also  be  taken  from  the  very  valuable  exposi- 
tions of  the  New  Testament,  by  Burkitt,  Guise,  and 
Doddridge,  and  the  very  learned  Dr.  Gill's  critical 
commentary. 

To  demonstrate  the  uniformity  of  opinion  between 
the  approved  commentators  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury, to  which  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wylie  appeals,  and  those 
of  the  eighteenth,  the  perusal  of  the  annotations  of 
that  pious  and  very  learned  divine,  Matthew  Pool,  rec- 
tor (minister)  of  St.  Michael,  in  London,  who  employ- 
ed ten  years  in  composing  his  Synopsis  Criticorum,  in 


THE  TWO   SONS  OF   OIL.  281 

five  folio  volumes,  a  critical  work  on  the  Bible,  well 
known  to  learned  divines,  and  highly  esteemed  by 
them;  and  who,  to  the  disgrace  of  the  times,  and  the 
I  of  the  church,  was  ejected  for  non-confor- 
mity, after  the  restoration  of  Charles  II.  He  wrote 
also  a  book,  entitled  The  Nullity  of  the  Romish  Faith) 
hich,  finding  himself  in  danger  of  being  assassi- 
nated, he  fled  to  Holland,,  but  there  did  not  escape  the 
fangs  of  such  as  (with  the  author)  believe  that  the  le- 
gitimate method  of  suppressing  heresy,  is  to  kill  the 
heretic.  That  great  divine  died  at  Amsterdam,  in  the 
fifty-sixth  year  of  his  age,  it  is  still  believed,  by  poi- 
son. 

The  annotations  on  the  Bible  ascribed  to  the  as- 
sembly of  divines  at  Westminster,  but  done  under  the 
direction  of  parliament,  who  employed  some  other  di- 
vines, not  members  of  that  assembly,  but  in,  which  the 
names  of  the  eminently  pious  and  learned  Gouge, 
Gataker,  Sey,  Sec.  of  the  Westminster  divines,  are  re- 
corded. Those,  with  other  commentaries  or  annota- 
tions, wrote  in  that  century,  in  Britain,  Holland,  Sec, 
which  I  had  an  opportunity  to  consult  in  an  early  pe- 
riod of  life,  when,  from  the  circumstances  in  which 
Providence  had  ordered  my  lot,  it  became  my  duty  to 
examine  the  question,  as  a  case  of  conscience.  These 
works,  to  which  I  am  under  obligations  for  a  share  of 
such  biblical  information  as  I  possess,  I  freely  recom- 
ound  to  the  perusal  of  others.  In  my  review  of  thenv 
at  that  period,  and  comparing  them  with  more  modern 
expositors  of  the  scriptures,  which  contain  the  words, 
of  eternal  life,  I  find  not  only  an  agreement  between 
the  venerable,  pious,  and  learned  expositors  them- 
selves, but  also  between  them  and  the  doctrines  taught* 


***  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

and  examples  set  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  his  divinely  in- 
spired apostles  on  this  subject.  This  question  relates 
to  a  plain  and  common  practical  case,  in  which  the 
duty  and  interest  of  Christians  were  deeply  involved, 
at  the  time  in  which  the  apostles  wrote,  and  in  which 
they  have  been  involved  ever  since,  and  probably  may 
be  hereafter.  In  such  cases,  all  the  protestant  reform- 
ers believed  and  taught,  that  the  instructions  given 
by  inspiration  are  so  plain,  and  so  easily  understood, 
that  he  that  runs  may  read,  like  the  way  of  holiness, 
(Isa.  xxxv.  8)  in  travelling  which,  the  wayfaring  men, 
though  in  other  things  fools,  (?".  e.  simple,  or  men  of 
weak  capacities)  shall  not  err  or  miss  their  way. 

That  ingenious  and  acute  reasoner,  Alexander 
Shields,  highly  and  justly  recommended  in  the  testi- 
mony of  the  reformed  presbytery  in  Scotland,  more 
than  half  a  century  since,  in  his  observation  on  the 
question  of  paying  tribute  to  Caesar,  (Hind  let  loose, 
p.  210.)  treats  the  question  of  paying  tribute  in  Mat. 
xvii.  24.  much  as  the  above  authors  have  done,  viz. 
that  it  was  probably  paid  for  the  temple  service  ;  and 
that  the  question  of  paying  tribute  to  Caesar  (Mat. 
xxii.  21.)  was  a  different  kind;  that  to  this  question 
our  Lord  returned  such  an  answer  as  might  either 
serve  to  answer  or  to  evade  the  question,  after  prov- 
ing at  large  that  the  Jews,  first  by  conquest,  and 
afterwards  by  their  own  act,  became  subject  to  the 
Roman  empire,  he  says,  that  the  opposition  to  the 
tax  for  which  the  census  was  taken  by  Augustus,  viz. 
when  the  Saviour  was  born,  was  the  same — the  levy 
of  which  was  opposed,  as  afterwards  mentioned  by 
Gamaliel.  He  decides  that  tribute  was  lawfully  due  to 
Caesar;  I  am  sorry  that  his  reasoning  re  too  long  to  be 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL. 

ied.    He    appeals  to  several  eminent  authors  in 
.'>rt   of  his  opinion,    and,   among-   others,  to   the 
reformer  Calvin.    With  his  quotation  from  that 
rated  author,  and  from  the  learned  Chamiers,    I 
\\ill  conclude  the  testimony  of  the  sixteenth  and  se- 
venteenth   centuries.     Calvin  lived    in   the  sixteenth, 
and  Shields  in  the  seventeenth  century. 

Shields'  quotation  from  Calvin,  is  as  follows  :  "  The 
authority  of  the  Roman  emperors  was,  by  common 
use,  received  and  approved  among  the  Jews,  whence 
,s  manifest  that  the  Jews  had  now,  of  their  own 
accord,  imposed  on  themselves  a  law  of  paying  tri- 
bute, because  they  had  passed  over  to  the  Romans 
the  power  of  the  sword." 

Wr  are  informed  by  the  evangelists,  that  the  chief 

priests    sought    for,    and    obtained,    false    witnesses 

against  Christ ;  and  that  they,  before  Pilate,  witnessed 

many  things  against  him. — Mat.  xxvii.  13.  and  Mark 

xv.  3.    The  most  important  part  of  these  many  thing* 

is  stated  in  Luke  xxiii.  2.  »»  We  f-,u:;d  this  fellow  pcr- 

ig   the  nation,   and  forbidding  to  give  tribute  to 

r."     The    ap*  ve   testified   that   this 

witness.    It  was  a  general  charge,  not  supported 

by  facts  ;  when,  therefore,  they  pressed  Pilate  to  ci  u- 

aiin,  he  answered  Why  !    what  evil  hath 

he  done  r" — Mark  xv.   14.  and  when  he  had  maturely 

examined    the     t!  he    said    unto    them,     "Ye 

brought  this  man  unio  me,  as  one  that  pervertcth  the 

le;    and  behold,  I    having    examined   him  1 

found  no  fault  in  this  man,  touching  those  things 

whereof  you  accuse  him." — Luke  xxiii.  14. 

The  chief  priests  and  eld<  !  to   their 

ve,   that  Jesus  himself  had  said,  that  he  himself 


OBSERVATIONS   ON 

Christ,  a  king^  and  that  whosoever  maketh  himself  a 
king,  xjicaketh  against  Caesar.  This  was  also  a  false 
accusation.  He  refused  to  be  made  a  king,  and  with- 
drew when  they  came  to  make  him  king  by  force  ; 
nor  did  he  ever  assume  that  title  or  character  during 
his  ministry,  until  after  this  accusation,  viz.  before 
Pilate,  when  he  explained  the  spiritual  nature  of  his. 
kingdom  so  clearly  and  fully,  as  convinced  Pilate  that 
it  could  not  interfere  with  the  kingdom  of  Caesar,  or 
any  such  temporal  kingdoms.  After  this  good  confes- 
sion, therefore,  Pilate,  fully  convinced  of  his  innocence, 
laboured  the  more  earnestly  to  release  him.  "  When 
the  chief  priests  and  elders  cried  out  crucify  him, 
crucify  him,  Pilate  saith  unto  them,  take  ye  him  and 
crucify  him :  for  I  find  no  fault  in  him.  The  Jews  an- 
swered and  said,  we  have  a  law,  and  by  our  law  he 
ought  to  die,  because  he  made  himself  the  son  of 
God."  Here  they  give  up  with  all  the  charges  of  the 
indictment  before  Pilate,  and  resorted  to  theiu  former 
accusations  before  the  high  priest  of  blasphemy.  John 
xviii.  36,  37. — xix.  6,  7,  Sec. 

The  high  priests,  Sec.  employed  spies  to  watch 
him  in  his  words,  and  to  entangle  him  by  questions. 
When  the  high  priest  asked  him  of  his  doctrine,  Sec. 
u  Jesus  answered  him,  I  spake  openly  to  the  world  : 
I  ever  taught  in  the  synagogue,  and  in  the  temple,, 
whither  the  Jews  always  resort ;  and  in  secret  I  have 
said  nothing.  Why  askest  thou  me  ?  ask  them  that 
heard  me." — John  xviii.  19 — 21.  The  Saviour  paid 
the  tribute  to  the  temple,  and  told  the  people  to 
respect  the  authority,  and  attend  to  the  instructions 
of  those  that  set  in-  Moses*  seat,  and  directed  the 
lepers  whom  he  had  healed,  to  shew  themselves  to. 


TWO  soxs  »F  on..  285 


priest,  agreeable  to  the  law  of  Moses.   He  faithful- 
ly and  severely  reproved  the  sins  of  thor-t.  who 
nistered  the  government,   but  he  never  d< 

eminent  itseif  (to  whom  the  Jews  had  found  it 
expedient  to  submit,  and  under  whose  dominion  Pro- 
vidence had  placed  them)  illegitimate  or  —nor, 
that  paying  tribute  to  them  was  the  same  as  com- 
pounding with  a  robber  on  the  high  way. 

How   diametrically    opposite    is  the    practice  and 
doctrine  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wylie  on  this  subjv 
doctrine  and  practice  of  the  Saviour  ?    and  hew  per- 
fectly consonant  is  the   doctrine  and  practice  of  the 
apostle  Paul,  Sec.  to  that  of  the  Saviour?   Which  are" 
the  most  infallible  authorities,  every    Christian    will 
decide  for  himself. 

The  chief  priests,  6cc.  who  falsely  accused  the  Sa- 
viour, were,  many  of  them,  even  then,  guilty  of  that 
crime.  They  had  rebelled  in  the  days  of  the  taxing, 
and  afterwards  made  frequent  revolts,  until  at  last,  for 
their  rebellion,  the  Romans  took  away  their  place  and 
nut  ion.  It  is  an  historical  fact,  well  known,  that  through 
the  influence  of  the  Saviour's  prophetical  advice, 
t.  xxiv.  16,  21.)  and  the  teaching  and  example  of 
the  apostles,  the  believing  Jews,  by  separating  from 
those  who  rebelled  against  the  Roman  power,  escaped 
the  direful  destruction  that  befel  the  unbelieving 
,  of  which  the  Saviour  says,  that  such  had  not 
been,  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  to  this  :inu 

again  shaft  be.    It  is  also  a  well  knc.vn  fact, 
that    the  Christians,   whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  i. 
rebelled  lie    Roman    po\ser,    during   what  is 

called  the  ten    persecutions,   inflicted  by  the  heathen 
Roman  empe  ence  hud  or- 


286  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

<lered  their  lot  under  that  power,  but  served  in  their 
armies,  &c.  and  obeyed  their  lawful  commands. 

Having  stated  the  exposition  of  the  texts  in  ques- 
tion, as  expressed  by  approved  commentators,  and  of 
reformers,  supported  by  their  example,  it  is  proper  to 
give  the  author's  glosses  on  it. 

On  the  question  of  paying  tribute  to  Caesar,  he 
says,  (p.  68.)  "  He  (Christ)  split  their  dilemma,  and 
left  the  question  undecided.  He,  on  several  occasions, 
thus  bajjied  his  adversaries."  To  support  this  asser- 
tion he  quotes  several  examples,  which  I  will  pass 
over  with  but  few  remarks.  The  case  of  the  woman 
taken  in  adultery,  (John  viii.  4.)  and  the  case  of  de- 
ciding on  the  division  of  inheritance,  was  not  baffling, 
In  both  these  cases  the  Saviour  instructed  the  parties. 
He  convicted,  in  the  first  case,  the  woman's  accusers, 
taught  the  woman  herself  to  sin  no  more,  and,  like  a 
God,  as  he  was,  forgave  her  past  sins.  In  the  second 
case,  he  taught  the  hearers  to  beware  of  covetousness. 
In  both  he  acted  agreeably  to  his  character,  and  the 
character  of  his  kingdom,  which  is  not  of  this  world. 
He,  as  on  all  other  occasions,  declined  interfering 
with  the  office  and  duty  of  the  civil  magistrate,  viz. 
the  kingdoms  of  this  world.  He  refused  to  accept  of 
it  from  the  devil,  whom  (John  xii.  31.)  he  calls  the 
prince  of  this  world — and  also  from  the  Jews  (John  vi. 
15.)  The  divine  Saviour  wasjilways  consistent.  What 
a  pity  it  is,  that  those  who  professed  to  believe  in  Je- 
sus, did  not  follow  his  example  in  keeping  his  spiritual 
kingdom  separate,  as  he  did,  from  the  kingdoms  of 
this  world. 

I  do  not  approve  of  the  author  representing  the 
divine  Jesus  as  a  baffler •,  i.  e.  one  who  puts  to  confusion. 


THX  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  287 

Thomas  Paine  gave  him  no  worse  character  than  this. 
I  defy  the  author  to  produce  one  instance  in  which  the 
teacher  sent  from  heaven,  was  asked  for  instruction 
with  respect  to  moral  duty,  in  which  he  evaded  the 
enquiry,  or  baffled  the  enquirer.  In  the  question  res- 
pecting his  own  mission,  he  referred  them  to  his  works 
for  testimony.  With  respect  to  the  question  of  John 
Baptist's  mission,  the  answer  turned  on  the  same 
ground.  John  Baptist  had  testified  that  Jesus  was  the 
Lamb  of  (Ivil,  wJiv  takcth  away  the  sins  of  (he  world,  and 
the  Saviour  testified  (John  v.  36.)  The  works  that  the 
Father  hath  given  me  to  finish  ;  the  name  works  that  I 
do,  bear  witness  of 'me,  that  the  Father  hath  sent  me.  In 
this,  nor  any  other  case  alluded  to,  was  there  any  eva- 
sion of  the  question,  or  baffling.  The  divine  Jesus  did 
•  me  from  heaven  to  baffle,  or  confuse  poor  sinners, 
but  to  instruct  and  to  save  them.  Why  does  the  reve- 
rend author,  who  professes  to  be  a  minister  of  Christ, 
treat  the  character  of  his  Divine  Master  in  such  a 
manner  ?  Could  deists  do  more  to  dishonour  him  ? 

•'p.  59)  that  if  we  believe  and  act  in  the 
manner  which  it  is  evident  the  Saviour,  his  apostles, 
the  primitive  Christians  and  reformers  have  done, 
"  then  it  would,  on  this  principle,  be  a  sin  to  resist 
the  devil."  In  answer  to  this,  I  only  recommend  the 
author  to  peruse  for  his  edification  2  Pet.  ii.  10,  12. 
and  Jude  v.  8.  and  compare  these  texts  with  the  prac- 
tice of  the  prophets  and  apostles'.  If  we  have  not  been 
misinformed  by  our  Bible,  the  devil  is  a  spirit,  and 
governs  a  spiritual  kingdom,  in  opposition  to  the  spi- 
ritual kingdom  of  Christ,  which  is  not  of  this  world. 
The  kingdom  ot  Christ  is  within  believers,  (Luke  xx. 
21)  and  the  kingdom  of  the  devil  is  within  unbe- 


288  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

lievers— "  He  is  the  spirit  that  now  ivorketh  in  the  chil- 
dren of  disobedience J"  in  the  warfare  with  whom,  chris- 
tians  are  enjoined  to  put  on  the  whole  (spiritual)  ar- 
mour of  God,  that  they  may  be  able  to  stand  against 
the  wiles  of  the  devil — Eph.  ii.  2.  and  vi.  1  1.  The  de- 
vil fills  the  heart  to  lie — Acts  v.  iii.  He  is  described 
as  a  roaring  lion,  walking  about  seeking  whom  he 
may  devour — 1  Pet.  v.  8.  The  author  has  before  de- 
duced civil  government  from  the  government  of  an- 
gels ;  he  now  considers  fallen  angels  as  kings  or  em- 
perors of  this  world,  and  not  as  spiritual  beings  or 
powers  ;  they  must,  therefore,  be  corporeal  beings,  and 
f  an  be  resisted  with  powder  and  ball.  Why  does  the 
author  use  such  low  sophistry  to  deceive  the  simple  ? 
Every  body  knows  that  the  devil  was  never  incarnate, 
nor  ruled  a  corporeal  kingdom,  nor  can  be  resisted 
Tvith  corporeal  arms.  The  spirits,  both  good  and  bad^ 
ave  under  another  law  of  nature  than  men  are. 

In  the  same  page  he  goes  on  to  say,  that  accord- 
ing to  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles,  as  before  stated, 
u  then  at  the  risk  of  damnation  would  tyrants  and  usur- 
pers be  resisted  ;  and  the  justly  exploded  doctrine  of 
passive  obedience,  would  be  recognized  under  the 
pain  of  Jehovah's  high  displeasure !  !  and,  to  crown 
all,  the  people  of  these  states,  who  justly  and  valiantly 
resisted  the  wicked  domination  of  the  British  tyrant, 
would  have  thereby  rendered  themselves  obnoxious  to 
damnation !  !  1" 

I  do  not  make  this  quotation  in  order  to  reply  to  it, 
but  to  s-hew  how  ignorant  the  author  is  of  the  subject 
on  which  he  writes.  What  possible  analogy  could  he 
find  between  the  people  of  the  United  States'  assert- 
ing and  defending  their  natural  and  chartered  rights, 


THB  TWO  SOXS  OF  OIL.  28'J 

when  they  were  invaded,  and  providing,  by  a  moral 
compact,  for  their  own  happiness,  and  the  doctrine  of 

H-dience  and  non-:  i  ?  All  people  have 

ivide  for  their  own  happim  able 

to  the  moral  law,  and  their  own  convenience.  In  what 
text  of  the  scripture  can  he  find  any  thing  to  autho- 
rise him  to  thunder  out  damnation,  with  treble  notes 
of  astonishment,  against  them  for  doing  their  moral 
duty?  Is  it  because  they  refuse  to  usurp  God's  sove- 
reignty over  the  cons  ^onuble  crea- 
tures ? 

In  page  60,  he  says,  "  This  principle  is  equally 
applicable  to  a  people  under  unjust  and  immoral 
government ;  and  to  no  other  kind  of  subjection  was 
o,  the  monster,  at  the  head  of  the  Roman  empire, 
when  the  apostle  gave  the  above  directions,  entitled." 
Whethcv  1  iberius,  or  Caligula,  or  other  cmpe- 

neci,  to  whom  the  ch  sub- 

mits monster,    is    not  necessary 

to  decide.     Of  Nero,  however,  it  is  known,  that 
••ell,  and  that  for  his  monstrous 
e  was  afterwards  condemned  to  death  by 
the  Roman  senate.    But  what  is  more  to  our  purpose, 
is,  that   Cornelius  >  aturion,   who    enjoyed   the 

,  of '  hi-uvcn  so  much,  as  to  have  an  angel  specially 
m  for  his  direction,  was  under  u  sacramental 
:mcc  lo  the    Roman   empiie,    while   the 
monster    Caligula   reigned.     That   the    apostle    Paul 
c  the  text  under  consideration,   and,   in  other  in- 
stances,  claimed  and  obtained  the  benefit  of  the  Ro- 
man laws,   is  well  ki.own   in   his  Ii-st   trial  before  the 
Roman  governor,  Festus,  at  Ccsaria.  Appro! 
an  unfair  decision,  through  the  undue  influence  of  the 
H  b 


•290  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

Jews,  he  appealed  from  that  subordinate  court  to  the 
supreme  court  of  the  empire  at  Rome,  in  the  follow- 
ing remarkable  words  :  "  Then  said  Paul,  I  stand  at 
Caesar's  judgment  seat,  where  I  ought  to  be  judged : 
to  the  Jews  I  have  done  no  wrong — I  appeal  unto 
Caesar."  This  Caesar  was  the  monster  Nero,  and  it  is 
scarcely  possible  to  combine  so  few  words  together 
more  decisively  expressive  of  the  acknowledgment  of 
Nero  as  the  supreme  organ  of  the  government  of  the 
Homan  empire.  It  was  not  an  evasion ;  it  was  not 
baffling,  as  the  author  ascribes  to  the  Saviour.  The 
apostle  speaks  in  words  as  decisive  as  human  lan- 
guage will  admit.  /  stand  at  Carsar'*  judgment  scat, 
where  I  oifghf.  to  be  judged— I  ajipeal  unto  Ccesar. 
This  was  a  most  open  and  a  most  decisive  declara- 
tion of  his  subjection  in  things  lawful  in  themselves, 
to  "  the  powers  that  be,"  perfectly  agreeable  to  his 
epistles,  and  his  eonduct  on  other  occasions,  and  to 
the  Saviour's  answer  to  the  question  of  paying  tribute 
to  Cxsar. 

The  author  adds — "  That  he  who  has  no  moral 
right  to  command,  can  give  no  lawful  commands ;" 
and  he  speaks  frequently  of  an  immoral  government, 
an  immoral  constitution,  and  asserts  the  American 
constitutions  to  be  immoral,  and  consequently  that 
they  can  give  no  lawful  commands.  While,  on  this 
principle,  he  overturns  every  government  that  is,  or 
that  ever  was  in  the  world,  for  there  never  has  been 
a  perfect  moral  government  among  men.  It  has  been 
already  demonstrated,  that  the  national  law  of  Israel, 
to  be  administered  by  sinful  man,  fell  much  short  of 
the  persecution  of  the  moral  law.  He,  however,  in  no 
place  has  defined  what  he  means  by  a  moral  govern- 


THE    TV/0   90X5    OF   OIL- 

If  he  means  a  positive  institution  from  God, 
there  never  was  any  such,  except  that  given  to  Israel 
in  the  wilderness,  whereby  they  were  constitutt 
nation,  and  it  is  probable  there  never  will  be  another 
We  believe  that  every  man  possesses  the  law  of  nu- 
,  which  the  author  admits  (p.  10.)  and  with  him  I 
«  ,  that  this  law  is  the  standard  of  all  the  adiui 
nistrations  of  civil  government.  The  law  of  nature  in- 
dispensably obliges  every  man  to  pursue  his  own 
happiness,  in  connexion  with  that  of  his  fellow  men  ; 
•  quently  it  is  the  duty  of  all  men  to  form  a  civil 
society  for  their  own  protection,  as  soon  as  it  becomes 
necessary  for  their  happiness,  or  to  put  themselves 
under  the  protection  of  such  governments  as  are  al- 
ready formed;  every  such  society  is  a  i  \  em- 
inent— for  no  such  society  can  exist,  but  what  is 
founded,  in  a  lesst  r  or  greater  degree,  on  the  moral 
law  of  nature  ;  and  though  instituted  by  man,  it  is  the 
ordinance  of  God,  for  •  protection.  But  as  God 
himself  has  a  superior  claim  to  our  love  and  obedi- 
ence, no  human  power  has  the  authority  to  interfere 
with  the  conscientious  obedience  due  to  him  ;  and,  in 
as  far  as  they  do  interfere,  the  commands  are  unlawful, 
and  we  ought  to  suffer  rather  than  obey  them.  But 
the  morality  of  the  power  or  right  to  command,  comes 
directly  or  indirectly  from  the  people  in  whom  the 
sovereignty  is  inherent.  The  author  only  expresses 
his  own  ignorance  of  the  subject,  when  he  considers 
this  as  savouring  of  fia&sive  obedience  and  non-rcsis- 
tanc'-.  It  is  the  very  reverse.  It  is  the  moral  duty  of 
the  people,  at  all  times,  to  pursue  their  own  happi- 
ness ;  and,  consequently,  to  change  or  reform  the  or- 


•292  OBSERVATIONS    ON 

ganization  of  their  government,  so  as  it  may  contri- 
bute to  their  greater  happiness. 

Governments  were  acknowledged  by  the  patri- 
archs, in  all  the  countries  through  which  they  so- 
journed. The  nation  of  Israel,  both  under  the  most 
pious  of  their  judges  and  kings,  acknowledged  the 
moral  authority  of  the  civil  societies  around  them, 
in  their  incorporated  character,  and  dealt  and  treated 
with  the  constituted  organs  of  those  governments  as 
moral  powers.  The  prophets  reproved  those  nations 
for  their  sins,  and  threatened  judgments,  but  never 
said  they  had  not  moral  authority  to  command  what 
was  right,  as  the  author  tells  us  of  our  governments. 
He  says,  (p.  60,  61.)  "He  that  has  no  moral  right  to 
command,  can  give  no  lawful  commands."  He  fre- 
quently has  asserted  our  governments  to  be  immoral, 
and  disowns  even  obedience  to  their  lawful  commands, 
as  well  as  he  does  to  Csesar's,  to  whose  laws  and  mo- 
ral authority  the  apostle  Paul  appealed  oftener  than 
once,  and  leceived. protection. 

Csesar  Augustus,  though  he  had  his  hands  deeply 
stained  with  innocent  blood,  was  yet,  if  not  a  much 
better,  was  a  much  wiser  prince  than  Nero.  They 
both,  however,  were  vested  with  the  same  imperial  au- 
thority, while  they  continued  to  reign.  When  the 
sceptre  departed  from  Judah.  it  devolved  on  Augustus, 
the  principal  organ  of  the  government  of  the  Roman 
empire.  He  commanded  that  all  the  world  (the  Ro- 
man empire  being  then  so  called)  should  be  taxed.  In 
obedience  to  this  command,  those  who  feared  God 
went  to  be  taxed  at  the  places  appointed  by  autho- 
rity. It  is  believed  they  were  also,  to  be  registered, 
with  their  families.  The  blessed  virgin,  the  mother  of 


THE  TWO  SONS   OP  OIL.  2jj 

the  Saviour,  and  Joseph,  her  espoused  husband,  went 
to  Bethlehem,  the  city  of  the  family  of  David,  to  be 
taxed,  and,  if  commentators  are  right,  to  be  register- 
ed. At  least  from  the  time  that  the  angel  announced 
the  miraculous  conception,  it  is  well  known  that  Jo- 
seph and  Mary  acted  under  immediate  divine  direc- 
tion, at  least  until  after  they  returned  from  Egypt. 
We  know  from  history,  confirmed  by  scripture,  that 
the  wicked  and  irreligious  Jews  raised  an  insurrec- 
tion against  this  tax,  when  it  came  to  be  collected  se- 
veral years  after  the  register  was  taken,  which 
could  not  be  collected  till  after  the  return  was  made 
throughout  the  empire,  (sec  Acts  v.  37.)  Thus  God  so 
ordered  it  in  his  providence,  that  the  desire  of  ait  na- 
tions should  be  born,  who  saves  his  people  from  their 
tins.  When  his  earthly  parents,  acting  under  immedi- 
ate divine  direction,  were  in  the  act  of  acknowledging 
the  moral  authority  of  the  Roman  empire ;  and,  as  a 
test  of  this  acknowledgment,  came  of  their  own  free 
will  to  the  place  appointed,  to  have  their  names  re- 
. -cable  inhabitants,  under  his  jurisdiction, 
tiu-y  t  forced  by  arbitrary  power.  Some  of 

uicicnt  fathers  say,  the  Saviour  himself  was  also 
1  as  a  Roman  subject.    This,  hov.-e\er,  is  of 
no  importance,  when  we  know,  that  no  charge  could 
be   brought  against  him  before  the    Roman  governor, 
for  i,  -,g  the    lawful  commands  *f  the  govern- 

ment; he  payed  the  tribute  demanded,  and  taught  his 
disciples  to  pay  tribute  to  the  government  which  they 
had  acknowledged,  and  under  which  God  had  ordered 
their  lot,  and  from  which  they  received  protection  ; 
in  consequence  of  which  they  owed  e,  or  an 

equitable  equivalent,  agreeable  to  the  moral  law. 
Bb2 


OBSERVATIONS   OJT 

If  the  above  view  of  the  subject  is  supported  by 
indubitable  facts,  which  it  is  believed  to  be,  (the  pa- 
triarchs, the  pious  judges  and  kings  of  Israel,  the 
pious  Israelites,  at  the  advent  of  the  Saviour,  includ- 
ing John  the  Baptist,  who  was  greater  than  a  prophet, 
and  who  (Luke  iii.  12,  14.)  taught  the  collectors  of 
public  taxes,  and  the  soldiers,  to  discharge  the  duties 
of  their  respective  offices  faithfully,,  as  the  condition 
of  being  admitted  to  his  baptism,  which  was  the  inter- 
mediate and  connecting  link  of  the  chain,  between 
the  dispensation  of  the  gospel  under  the  Sinai  symbo- 
lical covenant,  and  what  is,  both  by  the  prophets  and 
apostles,  called  the  new  covenant)  it  perfectly  agrees 
with  the  doctrine  and  example  of  the  Saviour,  and  of 
his  apostles,  of  the  primitive  Christians,  and  the  refor- 
mers and  martyrs  during  the  period  of  the  reforma- 
tion. With  such  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  I  feel  myself 
happy  in  concurring,  from  conviction,  as  well  as  from 
incontestible  authority. 

In  page  61,  he  says,  "It  is  farther  objected  here, 
*  that  the  apostle  could  not  have  had  any  other  parti- 
cularly in  view,  but  Nero,  or,  at  least,  that  he  must  be 
meant ;  because,  it  would  otherwise  render  the  precept 
useless,  as  to  any  immediate  application  to  existing 
circumstances.'*  To  this  he  answers,  "  This  objec- 
tion is  repugnant  to  daily  experience.  Were  it  just, 
then  all  instruction  of  youth,  to  fill  the  various  depart- 
ments of  social  life,  to  which  they  might  be  destined, 
when  grown  to  maturity,  would  be  useless  and  inex- 
pedient. To  what  purpose,  then,  would  God  have 
given  Israel  a  constitution  and  laws,  for  their  kings  U> 
walk  by,  while  they  were  yet  in  the  wilderness  I" 


IKK   i  ^  u  %oss  OF  01  rr.  295 

I  answer,  God  in  the  wilderness  constituted  Israel 
a  peculiar  nation,   and  condescended  to  become  their 
immediate  king,   and  instituted  officers  to  administer 
oveniment,  under  himself,  who  was  always  pre- 
sent in  hi-  10    give    them  s  "in  all 
things  that  they  called  upon  him  for." — Deut.  iv.  7.  The 
government    was  put  in  operation   in  the  wilderness, 
and  disobedience  to  its  authority  was  severely  punish- 
ed immediately  by  God,  their  king,  and  provision  made- 
tor  its  administration   when  they  would  be  settled  in 
the  promised  land  ;  and  also  the  case  foreseen,  ofthttr 
rejecting   God  a*   their  immedia'c  king,  and  choosing  a 
king)  like  the  nations  around  them.   Provision  was  made 
for  tolerating  this  departure  from  the  national  law  ; 
provided,  however,  that  the  person  should  be  desig- 
;1  by  God,  and  exercise  no   legislative   authority, 
hut  <                >i  administer  the  law  of  Moses,  agreea- 
ble to  the  copy  thereof  deposited  with  the  priests  and 
J.evites.   In  the  books  of  Moses  the  fortunes  of  Israel 
are    also  foretold   to  the    present  day,   and  directions 
given  how  they  o  .                                 :r  various   vicissi- 
\Vhcn  the  epistle  to  the  Romans  v/as    wrote, 
they  were  not  a   peculiar  nation  ;    their  government 
was   not  a  theocracy,  /'.  e.   immediate   government  of 
Jehovah;  nor  had  the  Romans  or  other  Gentiles  • 
been  so.    The  Saviour  and  his  apostles  orgunizi  d  no 
new  civil    irovcm-inents  in  the  world,  \>-  .;s  he 
ressly  declares,  his  kingdom  was  net  of  this  -world  ; 
.•ml  the  symbolical  and  locr.l  theocracy  was  abolished 

of  Christ.  As  there  is,  therefore,  nc 
logy  between    the  two  cases,    they  cannot  even  illus- 
trate each  other.  It  is  the  height  of  absurdity,  to  sup- 
pose, that  the  law  of  Moses,  made  *  lor  a  pe- 


296  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

culiar  people,  in  peculiar  circumstances,  could  repeal 
the  laws  of  Christ  in  the  New  Testament,  equally  ap- 
plicable to  all  nations,  at  all  times,  to  the  end  of  the 
world,  and  made  1500  years  after. 

The  author  is  remarkably  unfortunate  in  his  illus- 
trations. Who,  besides  himself,  ever  thought  that  the 
duty  of  parenj^  to  educate  their  children  for  future  use- 
fulness, has  any  analogy  with  the  apostle's  injunction 
to  obey  the  fiowers  that  be  ?  Can  words  more  plainly 
express  the  powers  that  then  governed  ?  The  apostle, 
indeed,  does  not  name  Nero,  but  names  the  powers 
that  be,  viz.  that  then  governed  the  Roman  empire. 
The  principal  organs  of  government  frequently 
changed.  Nero  was  degraded,  and  condemned  to  death 
by  the  Roman  senate ;  but  the  power  of  the  Roman 
government  over  the  nations  of  whom  it  was  composed, 
continued  the  same.  Christ  and  his  apostles  taught 
subjection  to  that  government,  and  confirmed  their 
doctrine  by  their  example,  during  the  reigns  of  Ti- 
berius, Caligula,  Claudius  and  Nero.  Neither  Christ 
nor  his  apostles  denounced  the  government  on  that 
account.  If  the  author's  principles  are  correct,  the  Sa- 
viour and  his  apostles  have  been  very  unfaithful  testi- 
mony bearers  for  the  truth  in  their  day.  The  author 
himself  must  be  much  preferred  to  them. 

If  these  practical  precepts  of  Christ  and  the  apos- 
tles were  not  applicable  to  the  church  at  that  period, 
why  did  not  the  author  inform  us  when  they  would  be- 
come applicable,  or  if  at  any  time,  or  if  like  Moore's 
Eutopia,  they  were  mere  fanciful  theories,  never  to  be 
be  reduced  to  practice  ?  I  believe  they  were  applica- 
ble, and  reduced  to  practice  at  that  time—and,  with 
the  apostle  (2  Pet.  i.  2.)  that  they  were  not  of  private 


iHF  S    OF    OIL. 

interpretation,   but  equally  applicable  to  all  linv 
tin-  rhurch. 

•ti    the    ci' 

not  only   .  lor  conscience  sake.    For  this 

cans  The  ai  .  (p. 

66)   "Simple  payment  of  tribute  never  v  a^cons 

a  any  horaologation  of  the  authority  imposing  it." 

-upportcd  by  testimony 

1ms  appealed '•  -  mmentators;  not  only  these 

I  ha\  !,  but  all  others  that  I  have  had  access  to, 

are  decidedly  opposed  to  the  author's  assertion.  All 
English  dictionaries,  and  moral  and  political  writers, 
define  tribute  to  be  an  acknowledgment  of  the  autho- 
rity of  the  government  to  which  it  is  paid.  Whether 
paid  by  a  tributary  prince,  or  by  a  subject,  the  result 
is  the  same. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


The  origin  and  obligation  of  the  national  and  solemn  league  and 
covenant — Covenants,  and  of  national  uniformity  in  religion  by 
human  authority,  considered — The  great  evil  of  divisions  in  the 
church,  without  scriptural  authority. 

HOUGH  the  author  of  the  Sons  of  Oil  advocates 
in  his  book,  what  has  been  called  the  covenanted  work 
of  reformation,  yet  he  does  not  make  much  mention 
of  those  covenants  in  the  body  of  the  work  ;  until,  in 
his  concluding  exhortation,  page  81.  He  there  charges 
us  "  By  our  covenanting  obligation,  you  have  sworn 
allegiance  to  God.  After  vows,  dare  not  to  make  en- 
quiry." And  he  has  added  to  the  work  an  essay  solely 
on  the  subject  of  covenanting  ;  in  which  he  connects 
the  duty  of  covenanting  with  the  moral  law,  so  as  that 
though  distinct^  it  is  not  separable  from  the  divine  law, 
"  which  (he  has  said  in  the  paragraph  above)  suggests 
and  commands  that  of  covenanting  as  an  ordinance.'* 
Again—"  It  is  in  the  moral  law  that  we  are  required 
to  make  them" — p.  88.  But,  as  usual,  he  brings  no 
proof  for  these  positions  from  the  moral  law,  only  his 
own  assertion  ;  and  what  he  has  asserted  in  several  in- 
stances already,  shews  that  this  proof  is  of  no  great 


THE  TWO  «0*&  0V   OIL.  299 

weight.  We  know,  however,  that  vows,  free-will  of- 
ferings, Sec.  were  a  part  of  the  ritual  service  pr€- 
scribed  and  regulated  in  the  Sinai  covenant,  which  is 
abolished.  We  know  also,  that  they  were  again  intro- 
duced into  the  Christian  church,  by  which  means  many 
a  church  was  built  and  endowed,  and  many  a  monas- 
tery and  nunnery  erected,  and  the  clergy  greatly  en- 
riched— and,  in  return  for  this,  many  of  the  most  scan- 
dalous and  outrageous  sins  against  God,  and  crimes 
against  society,  were  forgiven  ;  many  a  weary  pilgrim- 
age taken,  and  many  bones  of  martyrs  discovered  and 
enshrined.  But  we  have  no  information  of  it  in  the  mo- 
ral law,  nor  in  the  New  Testament,  that  I  remember 
of,  except  the  covenant  to  kill  Paul,  before  the  parties 
would  eat  or  drink. 

As  to  the  contracts,  covenants,  and  promises,  be- 
tween man  and  man,  with  respect  to  things  lawful,  and 
within  the  power  of  the  party  engaging,  binding  to  a 
faithful  performance,  so  much  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  moral  law  of  nature  remains  with  man,  that  there 
is  no  difference  of  opinion  between  Christians,  maho- 
metans,  and  heathens,  on  this  subject.  Greeks,  Ro- 
mans and  Turks,  as -well  as  Christians,  are  agreed  in 
this,  except  that  the  catholic  church  has,  in  several  in- 
stances, denied  its  operation  in  favour  of  heretics; 
and,  what  is  not  much  better,  several  protcstant  states 
have  also,  in  their  establishing  or  changing  their  na- 
tional religion,  broken  their  national  covenant  or  con- 
tract, with  such  as  did  not  approve  of  the  change. 
Every  ex  fiost  facto  law  is  a  breach  of  national  faith. 
No  law  can  take  away  the  rights,  or  punish  for  doinjj 
what  was  lawful  before  the  law  was  made,  especially 
if  they  are  natural,  viz.  religious  rights.  It  is  not  law, 


300  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

but  instruction,  that  can  cure  error.  It  belongs  to  law 
to  prevent  the  abuse  of  natural  rights,  but  not  to  take 
away  such  as  are  unalienable. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  follow  the  author  through 
his  refined  distinctions  on  this  subject ;  but  I  will  take 
notice  of  a  few  of  the  examples  which  he  substitutes 
for  proofs  (p.  91,  96.)  He  introduces  God's  covenant 
made  with  Noah — The  Abrahamic  covenant — The  co- 
venant made  with  Jacob — The  Sinai  covenant,  called 
the  covenant  of  Horeb — and  the  renewed  engagement 
to  that  covenant  by  the  ministry  of  Moses. 

These  all  stand  on  the  same  footing.  They  were 
all  dictated  by  the  most  high  God,  and  not  by  sinful 
man.  The  Sinai  covenant  is  also  very  frequently,  in 
scripture,  called  a  law.  It  was,  as  has  been  shewed 
elsewhere,  a  divine  law,  for  the  peculiar  purpose  in- 
tended by  that  dispensation.  It  was  not  propounded  br 
man,  nor  changeable  by  hitman  authority.  It  engaged 
to  confer  temporal  rewards  for  obedience,  and  to  in- 
flict temporal  punishments  for  disobedience.  These 
conditions  were  not  dictated  by  man,  but  by  God,  as 
the  peculiar  king  and  lawgiver  of  that  nation. 

Were  it  not  that  we  have  before  found  so  m-any 
examples  of  the  facility  with  which  the  author  finds 
analogies  where  they  do  not  exist,  we  might  be  sur- 
prised at  him  in  this  instance,  bringing  the  authority 
of  God  clown  to  a  level  v;ith  his  creature,  man.  But  he 
has  (p.  81)  prepared  the  way.  He  there,  in  the  first 
place,  introduces  the  authority  of  our  covenants  in  the 
superior  rank  of  obligation.  The  authority  of  the  divine 
law  in  the  second  rank,  and  the  law  of  •nature  in  the 
fifth,  and  our  relativns/iifi  to  (7or/,  in  the  sixth  and  low- 
est rank  of  authority. 


THE   T\tO   SONS   OF   OIL.  301 

Christians  of  but  a  common  measure  of  discern- 
ment, talents  and  learning,  such  as  the  reformers,  ap- 
proved commentators,  and  moral  writers  were,  would 
have,  in  this  arrangement  of  the  grades  of  authority, 
put  the  last  first  and  the  first  last.  They  would  have 
derivid  all  the  worship,  love,  and  obedience  which  the 
reasonable  creatures  indispensably  owe  to  their  Cre- 
ator, from  their  relation  to  him — and  the  love  and  du- 
ties which  creatures  owe  to  each  other,  from  their 
mutual  relation  to  God  and  each  other.  But  Mr.  Wylie 
is  not  confined  to  common  rules,  and  has  a  right  to  be 
original.  I  have  not,  however,  discernment  sufficient 
to  see  any  analogy  between  the  authority  of  covenants 
dictated  by  the  most  holy  and  wise  God,  and  tl. 
dictated  by  unholy  and  unwise  mortals,  who  drink  up 
iniquity  like  water.  I  being  incapable,  therefore,  of 
arguing  from  the  one  to  the  other,  will  leave  the  ap- 
plication of  it  to  such  as  possess  such  superior  dis- 
cernment as  the  author. 

His  next  class  of  examples,  substituted  for  proofs 

from  the  moral  law,   are  the  eases  of  Joshua  and  the 

•  mite,     the    civil    practice  of  mankind,  in   bonds 

and  indentures,   national   deeds,  public   contracts   for 

I,  binding  the  nations  and  the  heirs  of 

individuals  till   they  are  discharged.     It  is  known  to 

son  of  common  understanding,  that  national 

!   are  a  n  on  the  national   property,   and 

does  not  follow  the  individuals  when  they  cease  to  be 

a  part  of  the  nation.   When  I  was  a  subject  of  Britain, 

my    property  on  sea   might  have  been   seized  by    the 

government  of  Holland,  for  instance,  as  a  reprisal  for 

the  non-payment  of  debt  due  to  her  subjects,  because 

that  property  was  under  the  protection  of  Britain;  but  . 

C  c 


302  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

my  property  being  now  under  the  protection  of  ano- 
ther government,  is  no  longer  liable  for  British  debts. 
The  same  principle  applies  to  heirs  being  bound  for 
the  debts  or  contracts  of  the  parent ;  they  are  only 
bound  to  the  extent  of  their  parents'  property  in  their 
possession,  unless  they  are  otherwise  personally 
bound. 

The  author  employs  a  whole  head  of  discourse  to 
prove  the  perpetual  obligation  of  covenants  engaged 
in  by  representation ;  but  as  the  subject  is  religion, 
viz.  the  faith  and  worship  of  God,  I  will  say  that 
nothing  of  this  kind  can  be  done  by  representation. 
We  cannot  believe  or  worship  God  by  proxy,  even  if  t 
we  had  for  that  purpose  given  a  power  of  attorney  to 
our  representative.  It  is  with  his  own  heart  that  every 
man  believeth — and  his  worship,  to  be  acceptable, 
must  be  in  sincerity,  agreeable  to  his  faith.  Every  be- 
liever for  himself,  classes  with  the  covenant  of  grace 
in  the  very  act  of  receiving  Christ,  by  which  he  be- 
comes united  to  him,  and  engaged  in  his  service. 
Their  engagement  to,  or  covenanting  with,  Christ,  is 
evidenced  by  their  submission  to  his  ordinances,  and 
having  a  conversation  becoming  the  gospel,  for  all  the 
purposes  necessary  to  the  visible  church.  Church  or 
state  covenants,  or  any  new  moral  law  imposed  by 
human  authority,  have  nothing  to  do  with  this  trans- 
action between  God  and  the  believer. 

The  covenants'  national  and  solemn  leagues  were 
of  human  authority,  and  had  political  objects  princi- 
pally in  view.  The  first  underwent  various  changes, 
and  received  successive  additions  by  the  same  autho- 
rity which  made  it ;  the  last  was  prepared  by  a  union 
of  church  and  state  authority  in  Scotland,  amended 


THE  T\TO  SONS  OF  OIL.  303 

by  similar  authority  in  England,  and,  as  amended,  ra- 
tified by  both,  as  far  as  they  were  competent,  and 
made  a  term  of  state  and  ministerial,  if  not  of  Chris- 
tian, communion  in  Scotland,  and  of  state  communion 
in  England  ;  and  in  a  few  days  after  was  rescinded  in 
both  by  the  same  authority  that  made  them  ;  they 
were  afterwards  considered  as  terms  of  communion 
by  the  old  dissenters,  not  only  in  sealing  ordinances 
and  attending  on  public  worship,  but  in  private  socie- 
ties for  prayer  in  Scotland,  and,  as  such,  adopted  by 
their  reformed  pn/bhytrry  when  it  was  constu1 
Ireland  and  the  English  colonies  had  nothing  to  do 
with  it,  as  appears  from  record  ;  yet  their  obligation 
has  been  carried,  not  only  to  Ireland,  but  to  the  Uni- 
ted States,  in  which  it  appears  to  be  the  object  of  the 
author  to  enforce  their  perpetual  obligation  on  the 
consciences  of  the  citizens — in  addressing  whom,  he 
calls  them  your  covenants.  This  subject  will  be  more 
fully  explained  in  the  following  pages,  wherein  I  will 
not  follow  the  author  in  his  essay  on  covenanting.  In 
the  mean  time  it  is  proper  to  observe,  that  the  exam- 
ples which  he  has  produced  as  proofs,  while  they 
have  no  analogy  with  the  subject,  yet  give  a  masterly 
display  of  the  author's  talents  for  sophistry. 

When,  at  the  revolution  of  the  British  govern- 
ment, on  the  accession  of  king  William  and  queen 
Mary  to  the  throne,  presbytery  was  restored,  and  be- 
came the  established  religion  of  Scotland,  a  few  of 
those  presbyterians  who  suffered  great  tribulation 
during  the  two  preceding  reigns,  made  exccptio: 
the  new  national  presbyterian  constitution,  and  dis- 
sented from  it;  these  considered  themselves  to  be 
the  real  representatives  of  those  who  buffered  under 


304  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

the  former  reigns,  and  supported  their  testimony 
against  the  defection  of  church  and  state.  They  were 
called  old  dissenters,  because  they  were  the  first  who 
dissented  from  that  establishment ;  all  the  presbyter! an 
ministers  having  joined  the  establishment.  The  dis- 
senters were  left  without  public  ordinances  for  about 
seventeen  years,  viz.  till  the  Rev.  John  M'Millan,  in 
1706,  having  withdrawn  from  the  established  church, 
joined  the  dissenters  and  became  their  pastor,  and 
continued  to  be  so  without  assistance,  it  is  believed, 
upwards  of  twenty  years,  when  he  was  joined  by  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Nairn,  who  had  withdrawn  from  the  esta- 
blished church,  and  joined  the  associate  presbytery, 
composed  of  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Erskines,  and  some 
ether  ministers  who  had  seceded  from  the  national 
church  at  a  late  period.  Mr.  Nairn  again  seceded 
trom  the  associate  presbytery  and  joined  Mr.  M'Mil- 
lan,  and  they  together  constituted  a  presbytery  under 
the  title  of  reformed.  I  never  was  informed  how  they 
came  to  assume  that  designation  peculiarly  to  them- 
selves, which  was  the  general  name  for  all  the  churches 
that  had  separated  from  the  church  of  Rome,  and  pro- 
tested against  her  usurped  authority — but  particularly 
of  those  who  adhered  to  the  doctrine  of  Calvin  on  the 
sacrament.  The  reformed  presbytery  ordained  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Marshall  to  the  ministry ;  soon  after  this 
Mr.  Nairn  returned  to  the  established  church.  When 
he  withdrew  from  the  associate  presbytery,  he  pub- 
lished his  reasons  of  dissent,  which  occasioned  a  con- 
troversy between  the  associate  and  reformed  presby- 
tery, which  was  long  carried  on  with  unbecoming  acri- 
mony, and  not  without  mistakes  on  both  sides.  Both 
maintained  the  truth  of  the  gospel  as  set  forth  by  the 


THE   TWO   SONS   OF   OIL.  305 

reformers,  and  in  the  Westminster  Confession  and  Ca- 
techisms, and  yet  severely  criminated  each  other. 

A  few  of  those,  who  had  fled  from  the  persecution 
in  Scotland  to  the  north  of  Ireland,  adhered  to  the 
old  dissenters  in  Scotland,  among  which  were  my  an- 
cestors, one  of  whom  bore  a  part  in  the  memorable 
defence  of  Derry,  against  king  James's  army.  They 
put  themselves  under  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Rev. 
John  M'Millan,  who,  though  he  could  not  supply 
them  with  preaching,  wrote  them  pious  pastoral  let- 
ters, some  of  which  I  have  seen.  They  were  after- 
wards supplied  from  Scotland  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mar- 
shall, and  again  at  different  times  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
('uthbertson,  8cc.  About  fifty-five  years  ago,  the  Rev. 
William  Martin  was  ordained  by  the  reformed  pres- 
bytery of  Scotland,  and  became  a  stated  minister  to 
the  old  dissenters  in  Ireland,  who  had  been  called  the 
Hustonito,  from  the  name  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Huston, 
\vho  hud  been  their  minister  for  some  time  durin 
persecution  in  Scotland.  They  hud  also  been  called 
Mountuinmcn,  their  preachers,  during  the  perse<  u- 
tion,  having,  from  necessity,  preached  on  the  moun- 
tains. 

About  this  time  the  reformed  presbytery,  consist- 
ing of  one  minister  in  Ireland,  anil  at  least  four  in 
Scotland,  published  a  judicial  declaration  of  tin  ii 
principles,  preceded  by  a  testimony  against  what  they 
believed  to  be  wrong  in  the  then  constitution  and  ad- 
ministration of  the  governments  of  both  church  ai.<! 
state  in  tin:  three  kingdoms,  and  against  the  incoi  pa- 
rating  union  of  Scotland  with  England,  by  which  the 
legislatures  (parliaments)  of  the  two  kingdoms  be- 
came one ;  but  they  took  no  notice  of  the  constitution 
cr.  2 


306  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

or  legislative  administration  of  the  English  colonies 
in  America.  They  knew  well  that  these  colonies 
neyer  had  any  political  connexion  with  Scotland  or 
Ireland,  nor  were  in  any  political  dependence  on  the 
parliament  or  internal  government  of  England. 

When  I  arrived  in  this  country  in  1763,  I  spent 
several  months  at  Octarara,  among  the  covenanters, 
called  so  from  their  having  renewed  the  covenants 
with  the  drawn  sword  in  this  country,  several  of  whom 
had  been  the  personal  friends  of  my  father — but  I  did 
not  confine  my  attention  wholly  to  them.  I  enquired 
at  every  source  where  correct  information  could  be 
procured,  concerning  the  history  and  divisions  of  the 
Christian  church  in  this  country,  and  had  access  to 
those  who  had  been  concerned  in  these  divisions,  but 
who  are,  many  years  since,  gone  to  rest.  I  thought  I 
saw  mistakes  and  extremes  with  all  parties,  but  found, 
as  far  as  I  could  judge,  pious  good  men  among  them 
all.  I,  coming  certified  as  in  full  communion  with  the 
reformed  presbytery  of  Scotland,  was  not  required  to 
sign  my  approbation  of  the  Octarara  testimony,  agree- 
abte  to  which  the  covenant  had  been  renewed,  but 
was  afterwards  requested  to  assist,  as  a  clerk,  those 
new  communicants  that  were  required  to  sign  it,  in 
order  to  their  admission  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  sup- 
per. I  did  so  ;  but  in  the  mean  time  was  so  powerfully 
struck  with  the  impropriety  of  signing  such  an  instru- 
ment, as  a  term  of  Christian  communion,  that  I  gave 
notice  that  I  would  never  countenance  it  again,  and 
accompanied  the  notice  with  reasons.  While  I  was 
still  in  early  life,  I  was,  with  others,  chosen  to  the  el- 
dership. We  attended  the  session,  and  were  presented 
with  a  copy  of  the  questions  which  we  were  to  be  ask- 


T  UK   TWO   SONS   OF   OIL.  307 

eel  in  public.  I  pointed  out  such  as  I  disapproved,  and 
refused  to  answer  to  any  but  such  as  were  doctrinal, 
viz.  such  as  my  approbation  of  the  Confession  of 
Faith,  Presbyterial  church  government,  Sec.  The 
sion,  after  deliberating  on  the  reasons  offered,  agreed 
to  put  only  such  questions,  and  continued  to  do  so 
.tier. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Cuthbcrtson,  their  only  minister, 
and  his  session,  did  not,  in  administering  ordinances, 
require  the  approbation  of  the  covenants,  as  national, 
but  personal.  liis  words  were,  "on  the  inhabitants  of 
(ircat  Britain  and  Ireland,  and  their  posterity."  He  or 
the  reformed  presbytery  in  Srotlund,  as  appears  from 
their  testimony,  never  thought  of  them  being  obliga- 
te*! \  on  the  colonies  in  their  political  capacity,  nor  on 
any  not  descended  from  the  British  isles,  nor  even 
on  those  of  a  political  capacity  out  of  Britain. 

I  had  a  strictly  religious  education  from  my  pa- 

i-ieties  for  prayer    aiid 

coni«  0  supply  the  want  of  public  worship,  and 

to    them    I   was    curly    introdur •  ,      father    had    a 

larger  library  of  church  history  and  divinity  than  ' 
of  his  neighbours;   to  these  means  I  am  under  great 

ious  knowledge  that  I 
impressions  that  I  experienced,    but  as 
I  came  to  be  capable  of  reflection,    I  could   not  avoid 
,  that  so  much  of  the  conversation  in  the  so- 
ore  occupied  about  local  testimonies,  kc.  or 
luul  a  tendency  to  jostle  out) unintentionally,  < 
discoveries  of  the  gospel  for  the   salMuion  01 
and  the  dutk  .     It 

was    usual  to  pruy  for  the    revival  of    the  covenanted 
work  of  reio. 


308  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

persons  expressed  it,  in  their  mother  land  in  Scotland 
As  all  prayers  ought  to  be  offered  in  faith,  and  as  reli- 
gious faith  can  only  look  to  a  divine  promise,  I  could 
not  find  a  promise  in  favoug  of  the  church  of  Scotland, 
more  than  other  reformed  churches.  I  knew  that  pro- 
fessed protestants  of  some  nations,  persecuted  protes- 
tants  of  the  same  doctrinal  faith,  more  severely  there 
than  others — for  instance,  in  Britain  than  in  Holland  ; 
and  that  a  greater  proportion  of  their  clergy  had  pre- 
varicated, and  that  a  smaller  number  had  been  faith- 
ful to  the  death  ;  but  I  did  not  know  that  there  was  any 
peculiar  promise  under  the  gospel  to  it,  other  than 
what  equally  applied  to  all  churches. 

I  had  not  then  examined  the  principles  of  the  so- 
lemn league  and  covenant,  nor  the  circumstances 
which  produced  it,  as  I  have  since  done.  Yet  I  know, 
as  long  as  I  remember,  that  it  was  in  a  great  measure 
political  and  local,  and  I  could  find  no  authority  for  the 
national  covenant,  though  chiefly  religious,  having  any 
obligation  on  any  other  nation  than  Scotland.  Nor  could 
I  ever  see  any  foundation  to  believe,  that  God  had  pro- 
mised, as  was  limited,  to  bring  about  a  reformation 
agreeably  to  rules  or  covenants  prescribed  by  fallen 
and  imperfect  mortals,  though  I  saw  difficulties  that 
I  could  not  easily  surmount,  and  had  an  opinion,  that 
those  of  that  society  were,  in  a  more  peculiar  man- 
ner, the  people  of  God,  than  other  sects.  This,  and 
my  great  esteem  for,  and  confidence  in,  those  who 
prescribed  these  rules,  and  testified  even  to  the  death 
for  them,  made  it  long  before  I  durst  trust  my  own 
judgment  in  calling  them  in  question.  My  early  pre- 
possessions against  other  denominations,  as  unsound 
and  unfaithful,  also  discouraged  my  enquiry.  The 


THE  TWO   SOXS   OF    OIL.  309 

presbytery  of  Antrim,  within  whose  bounds  I  resided, 
separated  from  the  synod  of  Ulster,  because  that 

vd    an  approbation  of  the    WestnVi 
Confessiun  of  Faith.     They  openly   taught   Arinnism 
and  Sociniaiiisni}  and,  it  was  believed,  that  many  of  the 
synod  itsc-if  were   Arminians,    in  a  greater  or   It 

:oe.  I  remember  the  time  when  the  seceders 
came  first  to  that  part  of  the  country,  uiul  heard  them 
.ch  when  it  was  convenient.  They  preached  the 
same  doctrine  as  the  reformed  presbytery,  and  had 
likewise  local  testimonies  ;  they  maintained  the  obli- 
gation of  the  religious  part  of  the  solemn  league  and 
covenant  as  a  term  of  communion,  but  not  the  politi- 
cal, which  I  thought  the  most  essential  part,  being 
that  from  which  it  derived  its  name,  viz.  a  league,  in- 
id  for  the  three  kingdoms  of  Scotland,  England, 
and  !  .ml  actually  enforced,  though  not  agree- 

able to  the  forms  oi  the  constitution  in  the  two  former. 
h  v.  •  ,  indeed,  put  in  execution  and  enforced  by  civil 
penalties  in  Scotland,  and  in  part  in  England,  but 
without  ;  but  it  was  neither  engaged  in  by 

iit  or  the  people  of  Ii  eland,  nor  had  the 
repi •<  of  that  kingdom  any  thing  to  do  with 

it.  T  ol   religion  in  the  ilirec  kingdoms, 

and  ;  of  what   they    believed    to   b<-    most 

word   of  God,    and    best   reformed 
chin  t  object  of  that  covenant;   but 

cd    to  be    the  act   of  civil 
'.t    was  as  much  political  as  the  nat; 
:0  or  treaty — and,  ther 

istian  communion.  !,er. 

In  addition  to  tbift,  the  ussochite  hoc;-, 
fered  about  a  certain  oath,   which  the   magistrates   of 


310  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

certain  corporations  were  required  to  take,  and  they 
carried  the  controversy  so  high,  as  to  separate  with 
circumstances  that  gave  great  advantage  to  the  ene- 
mies of  real  religion  ;  and  they  even  carried  this  to  be 
a  term  of  religious  communion  to  Ireland,  and,  as  I 
found  afterwards,  to  America,  where  I  understand  it 
is  still  considered  as  a  term  of  communion  by  one 
party.  For  these  reasons,  however  well  I  esteemed 
their  preaching  of  the  gospel,  joining  them  would  not 
have  satisfied  my  early  scruples. 

The  old  dissenters  being  long  without  a  minister 
and  session,  and  much  longer  without  a  presbytery, 
conducted  their  religious  affairs  and  testimony  by 
•what  they  called  society,  corresponding  and  general 
meetings,  both  in  Scotland  and  Ireland ;  the  two  last 
were  composed  of  representatives  from  societies,  but 
the  first  represented  a  prescribed  bounds,  and  the  last 
form  the  whole  body  in  each  nation  ;  sometimes  dele- 
gates went  from  the  general  meeting  of  Ireland  to 
Scotland.  The  society  meetings  admitted  members  to 
the  fellowship  ;  and  when  they  had  a  supply  of  minis- 
ters from  the  presbytery  of  Scotland,  and  afterwards 
got  one  settled  among  themselves,  these  societies  cer- 
tified them  to  the  minister  and  session  for  privileges, 
but  not  unless  they  attended  the  sabbath  societies. 
Before  they  were  admitted,  they  were  examined  with 
respect  to  their  religious  knowledge.  This  continued 
to  be  the  practice  as  long  as  I  resided  in  Ireland.  I 
am  not  stating  this  to  their  disgrace,  but  to  their  cre- 
dit. For  if  their  testimony  and  separation  from  other 
denominations  were  justifiable,  this  was  the  most 
proper  method  of  conducting  it  that  their  circum- 
stances would  admit  of;  and  though  it  was  attended 


THE  TWO   SDKS  OF  OIL.  311 

with  some  evident  inconvenience,  yet  it  was  conducted 
with  a  very  respectable  degree  of  decorum.    When  I 
came  to  this  country,   I  found  the  affairs  of  the  com- 
munity were  conducted  in  the  same  manner ;  but  that 
from  a  change  of   circumstances  and  political  situa- 
tion, there  was  a  difference  of  opinion  with  respect  to 
conducting    their  testimony  in    the   situation    where 
Providence  had  ordered  their  lots,  which  had  existed 
for  a  considerable  time.  At  one  of  the  general  meet- 
ings,   of   which   I  was   a  member,  a  very  judicious 
member    advised   to   postpone   the  debates   till  they 
would  examine  more  minutely  the  circumstances  in 
which  Providence  had  placed  them.    This  was  agreed 
to ;   but  I  thought  the  examination  was  postponed  too 
long.     In  conversing  on  this  subject  with  some  of  the 
most  intelligent  members,  who  had  been  of  the  long- 
est standing,  they  told  me,  that  having  no  presbytery, 
they  could  not  decide  on  the  question  judicially  ;   that 
they  had,  at  different  times,  referred  questions  to  the 
reformed  presbytery  in  Scotland,  without  receiving  sa- 
tisfactory  answers,    and   waited   for  a  presbytery    in 
this  country,  having  made  application  for  a  supply  of 
ministers  ;    that  they  had  been  long  sensible  that   the 
Octarara  testimony  and  Mr.  Craighead's  reasons   of 
dissent,  in  which  they  had  concurred,  were  not  form- 
ed on  due  information  ;    that  they  were    mistaken  in 
considering  the  colonies  as  being  of  the  same  realm 
with  Scotland,  and  liable  to  the  same  national  obliga- 
tions,  and   chargeable  with  the  same  national  sins — 
they  having  no  political  connexion  with  that   nation. 
On   the  first  perusal  of   that   testimony  and  reasons, 
-where  the  being  of  the  same  realm,  and  being  respon- 
sible for  the  conduct  of  the  church  and  state  of  Scot- 


312  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

land  are  frequently  mentioned,  I  objected  to  it  as  im- 
proper ;  and  I  found  this  was  the  principle  that  influ- 
enced the  minister  and  session  to  state  the  obligation 
of  the  covenants  as  personal,  and  not  as  national. 

AVhen  two  very  respectable   ministers  of  the  re- 
formed presbytery  arrived,  but  before  there  was  time 
to  constitute  a  presbytery,  I   observed  that  they,  at 
least  one  of  them,  required,    in    administering    bap- 
tism, a  belief  of  the  obligation  of  the  covenants'  na- 
tional and  solemn  league,  not  only  on  the  British  isles, 
but  also  on  the  dependent  colonies.    On  this  subject 
I  conversed  with  the  minister,  and  gave  my  reasons  in 
writing,  in  which  I  objected  to  every  term  of  commu- 
nion enacted  and  enforced  by  human  fallible  authority. 
I  had  a  child  to  be  baptized.    He  made  objections  to 
my  reasons,  but  requested  me  to  lay  them  before  the 
presbytery,   which  had  been  then  constituted.     It  not 
being  convenient  for  me  to  attend  at  that  distance,  I 
Sent  them  by  the  minister,  who  returned  them  to  me 
•with  a  request  from  the  presbytery,  to  prepare  a  con- 
cise  abstract  of  them,  to  lay  before  the   next  pres- 
bytery, which  was  to  meet  at  a  less  distance.     Being, 
from  mature  reflection,  very  averse  to  making  new 
divisions,   I  had  kept  my   objections  very  secret,  till 
they   became   public  through  the  presbytery.     I  was 
equally  averse  to  withdrawing  from  the  communion  of 
brethren,  in  whose  piety  I  had  great  confidence,  with- 
out giving  such  reasons  as  I  judged,  on  due  delibera- 
tion, might  probably  have  equal  weight  with  them. 

The  subject  was  held  under  deliberation,  while  J 
withheld  my  child  from  baptism.  Finally,  it  was  dis- 
cussed in  full  presbytery,  accompanied  by  extra-judi- 
cial conference,  in  which  I  bore  a  part.  The  result 


TJIZ  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  313 

was  an  agreement,  that  while  the  presbytery  still  con- 
tinued to  hold  the  covenants,  testimonies  and  suffer- 
ings of  those  in  Scotland  (during  the  persecuting  pe- 
riod) in  respectful  remembrance,  they  considered  the 
scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  and  the  ap- 
probation of  the  doctrines  contained  in  the  Westmin- 
ster Confession,  Catechisms,  and  Form  of  Church  Go- 
vernment, as  agreeable  to  scripture,  to  be  the  only- 
terms  of  communion  in  their  church.  The  above,  or  in 
words  to  that  amount,  was  unanimously  adopted.  At  a 
sacrament  soon  after  administered,  on  public  notice 
being:  given,  another  public  conference  was  held,  at 
which  I  assisted,  and  at  which  such  general  satisfac- 
tion was  given,  that  but  one  communicant  kept  back, 
and  he  joined  the  next  opportunity. 

From  1763,  the  British  parliament  had  been  con- 
stantly encroaching  on  the  rights  of  the  colonies,  till 
at  last  they  proceeded  even  to  tax  them  without  their 
consent,  or  being  represented,  and  contrary  to  their 
chartered  rights.  To  this  all  the  colonists  were  op- 
posed. Besides  the  reasonings  of  the  then  colonists, 
the  discussions  on  the  British  encroachments  in  this 
country,  and  in  the  British  parliament,  where  thcrr 
was  a  powerful  opposition  to  these  measures,  headed 
by  the  great  Pitt  (earl  Chatham)  and  other  able  states- 
men, and  which  were  published  in  this  country,  pow- 
erfully called  the  attention  of  the  citizens  to  their  po- 
litical rights  and  danger.  It  was  a  convincing  argu- 
ment to  the  meanest  capacity,  that  if  the  British  par- 
liament, by  a  law  passed  in  all  the  constitutional  forms, 
could  not  constitutionally  oblige  the  colonists  to  pay 
either  a  direct  or  indirect  tax,  an  unconstitutional  or- 
dinance of  two  out  of  the  three  branches  of  the  En- 
Dd 


314  OBSERVATIONS    ON 

glish  legislature,  passed  more  than  one  hundred  years 
before,  which  never  became,  or  was  called,  a  law,  even 
in  England,  could  much  less  bind  the  conscience  m 
the  colonies.  They  knew  that  the  colonies  never  had 
any  political  relation  to  Scotland — therefore  could  not 
be  bound  by  any  national  laws  or  covenants  of  that  na- 
tion, which  had  long  since  ceased  to  be  a  distinct 
kingdom.  These  circumstances  prepared  the  minds 
of  the  covenanters  for  the  revision  of  their  terms  of 
communion,  which  many  of  them  had  long  before 
seen  to  be  necessary. 

Not  long  after  this  revision,  conferences  were  set 
on  foot  for  the  union  of  the  reformed  and  associate 
presbyteries.  This  was  carried  on  amicably,  and  finally 
concluded — I  believe  unanimously  by  the  associate 
presbytery  of  New-York,  and  by  all  but  two  ministers 
from  that  of  Pennsylvania ;  and  their  reason,  from 
what  I  could  judge,  when  assisting  at  the  most  nu- 
merous conference  had  on  that  occasion,  was,  that 
they  would  not  agree  to  relinquish  a  dependence  on 
an  associate  synod  in  Scotland,  to  which  they  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  carrying  appeals.  A  member  of 
the  reformed  presbytery  had  proposed  the  relinquish- 
ment  of  dependence  on  foreign  authority,  by  both  par- 
ties, as  a  preliminary  to  union.  I,  as  far  as  lay  with 
me,  promoted  that  union,  not  more,  indeed,  on  its 
own  account,  than  as  a  step  towards  a  union  of  all  the 
protestant  sects  which  were  agreed  in  the  same  faith 
of  the  gospel,  and  substantially  in  the  same  govern- 
ment and  discipline,  which,  though  they  differed  in 
some  lesser  things,  which  required  the  exercise  of 
that  charity,  forbearance,  and  feeding  with  milk,  in- 
stead of  strong  meat,  powerfully  recommended  and 


THE   TWO    SONS    OF    OIL.  315 

aealously  exercised  by  the  apostles,  were  not  justifia- 
ble grounds  of  separation.  I  have  been  more  than  half 
a  century  grieved  with  Christians,  holding  the  same 
faith  of  the  gospel,  yet  biting  and  devouring  each 
other  ;  and  ministers  of  the  same  gospel,  making  mi- 
nisters of  the  same  faith,  though  in  another  communion, 
offenders  for  a  word,  probably  ill  understood.  I  do  not 
expect  perfect  agreement  in  opinion  in  the  church  mi- 
litant, not  even  during  the  millenium,  which  I  stead- 
fastly expect,  but  not  in  my  own  day.  There  will  al- 
ways be  room  for  the  exercise  of  the  graces  recom- 
mended and  exercised  by  the  apostles.  Some  promis- 
ing attempts  and  progress  were  then  made  in  uniting 
presbyterians,  who  agreed  in  the  same  faith  and  wor- 
ship ;  but  they  were,  at  least  for  a  time,  defeated.  The 
pride,  and  other  passions  of  men,  have  often  contra- 
J  the  true  interests  of  religion,  and  will  do  so, 
while  deprared  men  (and  all  are  depraved)  are  em- 
ployed in  conducting  it.  It  will  always  be  the  case  in 
this  state  of  being  ;  but  divine  grace  will  prevent  it 
from  being  exerted  at  all  times  in  so  high  a  degree. 

The  reformed  presbytery  in  Scotland  did  not  cor- 
respond with  their  brethren  here  during  the  revolu- 
tionary war,  until  after  they  knew  that  the  aforesaid 
union  was  agreed  on  ;  and  then  they  excluded  ut 
from  their  communion.  When  independence  was  se- 
cured, and  all  was  peace,  they  sent  in  a  Rev.  Mr. 
Reed,  whom,  though  I  had  not  the  happiness  of  being 
acquainted  with,  I  was  well  informed,  was  an  accept- 
able preacher,  and  a  prudent  man.  He  attended  de- 
centjy  on  a  sacrament  administered  by  his  former 
brethren,  preached  with  them,  parted  in  friendship, 
and  returned  10  Scotland  without  attempting  to  make 


o!6  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

a  party.  Afterwards  the  Rev.  Mr.  King,  and,  I  believe, 
Mr.  M'Geary,  arrived.  Mr.  King  I  heard  preach  in  an 
acceptable  manner  ;  he  attacked  no  party,  but  preach- 
ed the  gospel.  In  conversation  with  me,  in  hearing  of 
a  number  of  his  people,  he  said,  that  toleration  of  re- 
ligion could  be  no  charge  against  the  American  go- 
vernments, because  they  had  no  religious  establish- 
ments, Sec.  Afterwards  I  heard  the  Rev.  Mr.  M'Kin- 
ney  preach  oftener  than  once,  and  conversed  with  him 
frequently.  In  conversation  we  differed  about  the  ap- 
plication of  his  preaching  to  this  country.  I  found  he 
spoke  too  freely  about  what  he  did  not  understand.  I 
ivas  not  surprized,  indeed,  that  he  did  not  understand, 
not  having  opportunity  to  be  informed.  His  fault  was, 
not  waiting  for  that  opportunity,  nor  looking  for  it 
where  it  could  be  obtained.  This  reverend  gentleman 
really  posseted  talents  and  general  information.  He 
has  been  many  years  deceased.  It  remained  for  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Wylie  to  open  all  the  batteries  of  declama- 
tion, misrepresentation,  and  slander,  against  the  go- 
vernments and  laws  of  the  United  States,  and  the  in- 
dividual states,  and  for  those  who  have  assumed  the 
designation  of  the  Reformed  Presbytery  in  this  coun- 
try, to  patronize  him  in  doing  so. 

Thus  I  have  stated  a  concise,  but  I  believe  a  true 
history  of  the  reformed  presbytery  in  Scotland,  before 
the  revolution,  and  in  Pennsylvania,  as  far  as  is  neces- 
sary for  information  on  this  subject.  Of  some  professed 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  who  in  this  country  have  as- 
aumed  that  designation,  it  remains  to  be  enquired 
whether  they  are  a  branch  of  the  same  community 
with  those  of  that  designation  in  Scotland,  under 
whose  supcrintendance  I  was  fifty  years  ago,  or  anew 


1HE   TWO  SON'S   OF    OIL.  317 

sect.  In  this  enquiry  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  the 
presbytery  of  Scotland  had  emitted  no  public  judi- 
cial testimony  till  near  that  time  ;  and  they  had  not,  at 
least  before  1763,  made  the  approbation  or  signing  of 
it  a  term  of  communion.  I  have  not  heard  that  this  has 
i  required  there.  They  acted  on  the  princi- 
ples established  and  carried  on  by  the  meetings  which 
I  have  mentioned  above. 

I  was  curly  employed  in  assisting  to  explain  the 
practical  testimony  of  the  reformed  presbytery  to  such 
as  applied  for  admission,  before  they  had  any  written 
testimony,  and  I  was  instructed  to  say  that  their  testi- 
mony did  not  at  all  apply  to  the  governments  of  either 
church  or  state  ;  that  they  had  not  made  such  advances 
in  refornrution  as  Britain  had  done  ;  that  the  lawful 
commands  of  civil  governments  in  France,  or  even  in 
Turkey,  cr  any  other  nation  that  had  not  apostatized, 

;  t  to  be  obeyed,  while  those  in  Britain  ought  not; 
use,  in  Britain  the  covenants  were  the  constitu- 
tional oath  of  allegiance,  and  the  departure  from  it 
was  apostacy ;  that  an  advancing  church,  however, 
ought  to  be  acknowledged — but  that  apostacy  ought 
always  to  be  testified  against.  That  it  could,  therefore, 
be  only  applied  to  the  British  isles. 

It  is  proper,  however,  to  state  some  reasons  why 
it  appears,  that  those  who  have  assumed  the  designa- 
tion of  reformed  presbytery  in  this  country,  are  a  dis- 
tinct religious  community  from  the  reformed  presby- 
tery of  Scotland,  of  which,  it  is  understood,  there  is  a 
branch  now  in  Ireland. 

The  old  dissenters,  who  constituted  the  reformed 
presbytery  in  Scotland,  testified  against  the  civil  go- 
vernment of  Britain,  because  of  apostacy,  viz.  because 
D  d  2 


318  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

of  the  breach  of  the  solemn  league,  &c.  being  the  co- 
ronation oath,  and  a  fundamental  part  of  the  civil  and 
ecclesiastic  constitution  of  the  nation.  It  being  re- 
scinded, was  an  act  of  high  national  apostacy,  and 
immoral ;  the  government,  founded  on  this  immoral  act, 
was  in  itself  immoral,  and,  therefore,  acknowledging 
its  authority,  and  obeying  its  commands,  being  a  breach 
of  the  moral  law,  was  a  sufficient  cause  of  excluding 
from  church  communion  those  who  acknowledged  it. 

That  by  this  immoral  government  the  king  was 
constituted  head  of  the  church  of  Christ,  thus  usurp- 
ing the  Mediator's  supremacy  over  his  own  house. 
That  in  consequence  of  this  supremacy  the  civil  go- 
vernment had  established  prelacy  as  the  national  reli- 
gion of  England  and  Ireland,  contrary  to  the  oath  of 
the  covenant  and  presbytery  in  Scotland,  not  as  of  ex- 
clusive divine  right,  but  as  most  agreeable  to  the 
minds  of  the  people  ;  that  this  government  being 
apostate  and  immoral,  it  was  sinful  to  obey  even  its 
lawful  commands,  or  contribute  to  its  support. 

On  this  principle  they  excluded  from  their  com- 
munion all  those  who  supported  the  established  clergy 
by  paying  tithes  and  other  taxes  for  the  support  of 
the  established  church,  and  all  such  as  paid  hearth 
money,  or  any  other  taxes  for  the  support  of  the  civil 
government,  and  all  who  made  applications  to  courts 
or  magistrates  for  justice,  or  made  voluntary  appear- 
ances before  them  ;  and  while  I  continued  in  that 
country,  those  terms  of  communion  were  strictly  ad- 
hered to.  Some  were  imprisoned  for  not  obeying  sub- 
poenas, or  refusing  to  take  the  book  oath,  and  some 
had  their  goods  taken  in  distress.  This,  however,  had 
a  good  effect  on  their  morals.  I  never  knew  one  of 


THE  TWO  SOVS  OF  OIL.  319 

them  sued  for  debt,  trespass  or  damage,  ami  many  of 
them  suffered  loss  and  damage,  rather  than  become 
plaintiff  in  any  suit.  In  renting  land  (the  landlords  ge- 
nerally being  desirous  to  have  such  sober,  peaceable 
tenants)  included  the  tithe,  and  other  stated  dues,  in 
the  rent.  With  respect  to  sucing  for  debt,  Sec.  some 
made  transfers  to  a  third  person — but  these  were 
looked  upon  as  very  slippery  testimony-bearers,  by 
their  brethren.  They  htid  not  learned  the  refined 
ideas,  since  acquired  in  this  country  by  tin-  Rrv.  M . 
Wylic  and  his  people,  who  have  contrived  to  receive 
every  protection  and  facility  to  acquiring  prop 
even  to  obtain  patents  for  land,  the  granting  of  which 
is  one  of  the  highest  governmental  acts,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  testify  that  we  have  no  lawful  government. 
Granting  patents  is  a  royalty.  In  all  republics  it  is  an 
act  of  the  commonwealth  ;  and  deeds  of  conveyance, 
or  transfer  from  citizens,  receive  their  validity  solely 
from  the  law  of  the  government,  and  must  be  record- 
ed by  an  officer  of  government.  This  is  not  th-- 
with  goods  and  chattels,  renting  houses  and  lands,  for 
a  limited  time,  as  Mr.  Wylie  supposes.  This  i 
howc\er,  has  been  examined  before,  and  is  only  intro- 
duced here  to  demonstrate,  that  this  new  reformed 
presbytery  does  not  hold  the  same  testimony  with  the 
reformed  presbytery  in  Scotland. 

This,  indeed,  seems  evident,   on  the  first  in 
sion.    The  colonies   have  never  apostati/ed,  in  < 
religion  or  politics,    unless  the  rescinding   <>'. 
elusive    establishment  of   prelacy,  by  the  I«  gislaturcs 
of  the  southern  states,  whose  p  rs  had  enact- 

ed it,  can  be  called  aposiacy.  This  Mr.  Wylie  will  r.«>t 
do,  because  it  was  accomplishing  on.e  object  of  the  so 


32O  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

lemn  league  and  covenant.  The  other  states,  with 
respect  to  religion,  stand  nearly  as  they  were  on  their 
first  colonization.  We  have  no  king,  to  whom  the  su- 
preme headship  of  the  church  of  Christ  has  been 
transferred ;  neither  have  our  state  or  federal  govern- 
ments been  invested  by  the  citizens  with  any  such  sa- 
crilegious power,  as  to  enable  them  to  usurp  it. 
Christ's  kingdom,  which  is  not  of  this  world,  has  not 
been  permitted  by  the  people  of  this  country  to  be,  by 
carnal  antichristian  wisdom,  dragged  into  an  unnatural 
incorporation  with  the  kingdoms  of  this  world — conse- 
quently, neither  citizens  nor  aliens  are  called  upon  to 
pay  tithes,  i.  e.  every  tenth  shock  of  their  grain,  Sec. 
before  it  is  taken  from  the  field,  or  to  compound  for  it, 
and  to  pay  a  tax  for  keeping  the  church  in  repair,  pur- 
chasing the  sacramental  elements,  and  marriage  mo- 
ney, christening  money,  burying  money,  church 
clerks'  dues,  Sec.  nor  are  we  obliged  to  serve  as  church 
wardens  or  vestrymen  to  a  church,  with  which  we  do 
not  communicate.  In  addition  to  the  above,  the  old 
dissenters  testified  against  the  book  oath,  administered, 
not  only  by  courts  and  magistrates,  but  by  petty  col- 
lectors of  customs  at-  fairs,  many  of  whom  could  not 
read,  but  had  either  a  New  Testament  or  common 
prayer,  bound  up  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  presented  to 
those  who  brought  in  cattle  for  sale,  to  testify  by  kiss- 
ing the  boo!;,  whether  they  had  sold  or  bought.  Not 
only  the  old  dissenters,  but  many  others,  preferred 
paying  the  impost,  to  taking  the  oath  so  administered, 
and  for  so  small  an  object. 

The  union  of  church  and  state  in  that  country  be- 
ing established  on  Mr.  Wylie's  principles,  but  not  ac- 
-commodated  to  his  mind,  the  old  dissenters  and  re- 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF   OIL.  321 

formed  presbytery  in  Scotland  testified  against  even 
the  establishment  and  the  administration  of  the  pres- 
byterian  church  of  Scotland,  for  various  causes,  which 
they  assign.  None  of  those  causes  exist  in  this  coun- 
try. We  have  no  political  establishment  of  religion. 
We  have  no  patronige,  whereby  ministers  are  in- 
truded  on  congregations,  not  only  without  their  con- 
sent, but  contrary  to  their  remonstrances,  and  some- 
times with  an  armed  force.  Wo  have  no  connexion 
with,  and  partake  of  none  of  the  guilt  of  the  alleged 
unfaithfulness  or  partiality  in  discipline  of  the  church 
of  Scotland,  stated  in  their  testimony. 

None  of  the  objects  of  the  testimony  of  the  reform- 
ed presbytery  of  Scotland,  applying  to  this  country, 
and  that  judicature,  though  they  had  one  of  their 
number  residing  here  as  a  missionary  for  a  limited 
time,  never  having  applied  their  testimony  to  this 
country,  it  is  clear,  to  a  demonstration,  that  those  as- 
suming that  designation  here,  are  a  new  sect,  imposing 
themselves  on  the  people  under  a  disguised  charac- 
ter. I  have  some  further  reasons  for  this  opinion. 

When  the  Rev.  Mr.  Reed,  before  mentioned,  came 
from  the  reformed  presbytery  of  Scotland,  he  found 
no  ground  for  applying  the  local  testimony  of  Scot- 
land, Sec.  to  this  country,  and  prudently  returned 
without  attempting,  or,  as  far  as  is  known,  ad\ 
the  application  of  it.  When  the  Rev.  Mr.  King  ar- 
rived, I  enquired  if  he  designed  to  apply  the  testi- 
mony of  the  reformed  presbytery  of  Scotland  to  this 
country?  He  answered  no:  instances 

ry  different.  I  advised  him  to  examine  uell 
before  they  would  introduce  a  new  presbytcrian 
church,  lest  they  should  not  find  scriptural  ground 


322  OBStnVATlO\S  OH 

on  which  to  erect  their  standard,  so  as  to  be  justified 
in  keeping  separate  from  all  others,  I  afterwards  put 
the  same  question  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  M'Kinney.  He  an- 
swered as  Mr.  King  had  done,  that  the  testimony  of 
Scotland  would  not  apply  to  this  country  ;  but  that  he 
and  his  colleagues  had  authority  from  the  reformed 
presbytery  to  exhibit  a  testimony,  and  require  terms 
of  communion  in  this  country,  adapted  to  circum- 
stances. I  was,  indeed,  so  astonished  at  this  answer, 
that  I  made  no  more  enquiries.  The  apostle  Paul 
planted  churches  where  other  men  had  not  laboured, 
expressly  by  the  authority  of  Christ.  Mr.  M'Kinney, 
&c.  came  to  plant  a  church  in  the  United  States  j  they 
came  not  expressly  by  his  authority,  where  other 
servants  of  Christ  had  planted  and  watered  before 
they  were  born ;  but,  if  my  information  be  correct) 
they  came  by  the  authority  of  a  presbytery  in  a  fo- 
reign country,  not  with  the  Bible  in  their  hands,  for 
it  was  here  long  before  them  in  the  hands  gf  other 
Christian  sects,  not  even  with  the  local  testimony  of 
the  reformed  presbytery  of  Scotland  in  their  hands, 
but  with  authority  from  that  presbytery  to  make  such 
other  local  testimonies  and  conditions  of  holding  com- 
munion with  Christ  in  his  ordinances,  as  their  own 
caprice  might  suggest.  They  cannot  say  with  the  apos- 
tle, that  the  Spirit  expressly  speaketh  the  terms  they 
propose,  or  that  he  gave  them  a  special  commission 
to  prescribe  local  terms  of  communion  to  every  na- 
tion under  heaven,  as  he  did  the  apostles  to  preach 
the  gospel — but  even  to  them  he  gave  no  authority  to 
preach  local  terms  of  communion,  to  establish  politi- 
cal national  churches,  to  interfere  with  national 
leagues,  nor  to  exclude  any  from  communion  that  ap- 


THE  TWO   SONS   OF  OIL.  323 

proved  of  the  terms  of  communion  prescribed  by  the 
Saviour  himstlf,  and  explained  and  applied  by  th« 
apostles. 

That  they  are  a  new  sect  of  religious  adventurer* 
come  to  avail  themselves  of  the  Christian  liberty  se- 
cured and  protected  in  the  United  States,  agreeably 
to  the  moral  law,  spying  out  our  liberty  that  we  have 
from  Christ,  in  order  to  make  themselves  conspicu- 
ous, by  availing  themselves  of  circumstances  and  pre- 
possessions, to  support  a  party  in  the  church  of  Christ, 
is  to  me  evident.  I  do  not  say  that  along  with  this 
view,  they  do  not  preach  the  gospel.  If  they  do,  it  i* 
so  far  well ;  but  we  know  that  some,  even  in  the  apos- 
tles* days,  preached  the  gospel  out  of  envy,  while 
their  principal  view  was  to  add  affliction  to  the  great 
apostle  himself,  and  to  excite  animosities  and  divi- 
sions in  the  church  of  Christ. 

I  have  already  stated,  that  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Reed 
came  from  the  reformed  presbytery  of  Scotland,  to 
behold  our  order,  he  decently  countenanced  it,  and 
returned  without  complaint  or  exciting  division ;  that 
afterwards,  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  King  arrived,  and  still 
at  an  after  period,  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  M'Kinney  ar- 
rived, they  both  declared  that  the  terms  of  commu- 
nion prescribed  by  the  reformed  presbytery  of  Scot- 
land, did  not  a^ply  to  this  country.  I  enquired  at 
those  who  I  found  were  about  to  join  them,  on  what 
terms  they  were  to  be  admitted.  I  was  answered, 
that  that  was  not  yet  decided.  Thus,  for  a  number  of 
years,  they  have  been  engaged  in  finding  some  plau- 
sible foundation  on  which  to  found  a  new  sect ;  in  the 
mean  time,  using  th^ir  own  discretion,  from  which 
they  may  retreat  or  vary,  according  to  circumstances. 


324  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

This  was  not  the  case  with  the  apostles  and  disci- 
ples of  Christ,  who  enlightened  the  world  with  his 
gospel.  They  had  always  the  same  terms  of  commu- 
nion to  offer  to  sinners,  of  all  nations,  kindreds  and 
languages.  If  the  peculiar  terms  of  the  reformed 
presbytery  of  Scotland  were  only  those  prescribed  by 
the  Saviour  and  his  apostles,  they  were  equally  appli- 
cable to  all  nations  ;  if  they  were  not  applicable  to  the 
United  States,  they  were  not  the  terms  prescribed  by 
the  church's  Head.  If,  as  is  certain,  the  sect  that  has 
assumed  the  designation  of  the  reformed  presbytery 
in  this  country,  had  to  wait  to  examine  circumstances 
and  feel  pulses,  before  they  could  prescribe  the  terms 
of  holding  communion  with  Christ,  in  his  ordinances, 
they  are  at  least,  in  so  far,  not  a  church  of  Christ, 
whose  terms  of  communion  are  wholly  contained  in 
the  New  Testament.  If  they  have  this  authority  from 
the  reformed  presbytery  of  Scotland,  not  only  to  preach 
the  gospel,  but  to  prescribe  such  conditions  of  hold- 
ing communion  with  Christ  in  his  ordinances,  arising 
from  circumstance^  such  as  in  their  own  caprice  they 
think  proper.  They  are,  without  doubt,  a  new  sect,  not 
founded  on  the  authority  of  Christ,  nor,  (at  least  as  far 
as  relates  to  terms  of  communion  with  him,  in  his 
ordinances,)  ministers  of  Christ,  but  sect-makers, 
and  of  a  peculiar  character.  When  the  methodists, 
moravians,  and  other  sects  came  into  this  country, 
they  had  their  terms  of  church  communion  ready  to 
propose,  and  whether  they  were  right  or  wrong  in 
themselves,  they  were  in  so  far  like  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
that  they  were  equally  applicable  to  all  countries,  and 
all  people,  whether  they  were  masters  or  slaves, 
without  regard  to  the  nature  of  the  civil  governments 


THB  TWO   1OV*   09   OIL,  325 

or  laws  of  the  respective  countries.  So  was  the  gospel 
of  Christ,  but  the  terms  of  this  new  »ect  have  not 
been  offered  in  the  same  unshackled  manner.  It  is  un- 
derstood they  are  not  yet  fully  developed,  nor  their 
niles  of  discipline  established.  The  apostles,  wherever 
laredthe  whole  council  of  God  without 
reserve  or  delay,  and  it  was  the  same  with  respect  to 
every  country,  whether  the  people  were  Jews,  Greeks, 
or  barbarians,  except  a  temporary  and  limited  tolera- 
tion granted  to  the  Jews  ;  consequently,  the  terms  of 
communion  taught  by  this  new  reformed  presbytery,  is 
not  the  gospel  of  Christ,  nor  taught  by  authority  da- 
rived  from  him,  but,  as  is  pretended,  from  a  foreign 
local  presbytery. 

With  respect  to  the  opinion  strangely  entertained, 
that  these  covenants  are  personally  binding  on  the 
posterity  of  those  who  took  them,  which  was  long  ac- 
quiesced in  without  examination,  little  need  be  said. 
These  covenants,  particularly  the  solemn  league,  be- 
ing proposed  and  enjoined  by  national  authority,  with 
a  view  to  national  objects,  have  no  relation  to  those 
who  have  no  connexion  with  the  nation.  Besides,  it  is 
absurd  to  suppose,  that  parents  have  authority  to  enact 
new,  unchangeable,  moral  laws  for  their  posterity.  Un- 
it is  said  by  some,  that  it  is  only  to  the  moral,  and  not 
tlu  political  or  changeable  part  of  the  league  and  co- 
venant, posterity  are  bound  ;  and,  in  support  of  this, 
they  refer  to  the  baptismal  engagements  of  parents. 

These  engagements  have  their  authority  wholly 
from  the  moral  law,  obliging  the  parent  to  instruct 
his  child  as  the  scripture  directs.  This  is  equally  obli- 
gatory on  the  parent,  whether  he  engages  before  the 
cjwgregation  or  not.  Hence  it  is  that  we  sustain  the 
E  c 


326  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

baptism  received  in  all  Christian  churches,  even  in  the 
church  of  Rome,  without  examining  into  what  obliga- 
tions the  parents  come  under,  or  whether  any  at  all. 
It  is  certain,  that  Christ  and  his  apostles  have  pre- 
scribed none,  and  that  if  they  are  perpetually  obliga- 
tory, by  the  same  reason  we  must  at  this  day  have 
been  all  in  the  Roman  Catholic  communion.  Our  an- 
cestors, for  many  ages,  have  been  engaged  to  receive 
human  tradition,  the  decrees  of  councils,  and  of 
ishops,  as  articles  of  faith. 

My  father,  I  believe,  when  presenting  me  to  bap- 
tism, and  my  brothers  and  sisters,  engaged,  among 
other  things,  to  bring  us  up  in  the  knowledge  and  be- 
lief of  the  binding  obligation  of  the  solemn  league 
and  covenant  on  Britain  and  Ireland,  to  the  latest 
posterity.  They  even  then  had  too  much  good  sense 
to  include  the  colonies.  But  after  he  came  into  this 
country,  where  he  was  very  respectfully  received, 
though  in  an  advanced  age,  he,  on  deliberation,  was 
convinced  that  these  covenants  had  no  obligation  on 
the  colonies,  and  from  thence  concluded,  that  being 
local,  and  not  equally  applicable  to  people  of  all  na- 
tions, could  not  be  imposed  as  a  condition  of  commu- 
nion with  Christ  in  any  nation ;  Christ's  conditions  of 
holding  communion  with  himself  being  equally  appli- 
cable to  all  nations.  He  regretted  that  the  principle 
had  not  been  sooner  examined. 

The  Saviour  has  (Mark  xvi.  16.)  connected  teach- 
ing with  baptism ;  instruction  ought,  therefore,  to  ac- 
company it,  and  this  ought  to  be  as  public  as  circum- 
stances will  admit.  But  ministers  have  no  authority  to 
add  new  terms  of  admission  to  those  which  the  great 
Head  and  lawgiver  of  the  church  has  already  pre- 


THE  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL. 


327 


icd.  This  the  divinely  inspired  apostle  of  the  Gcn- 
has  declared  (1  Cor.  i.  24.)  "not  that  we  have 
dominion  over  your  faith,  but  are  helpers  of  your 
joy,"  8cc.  If  this  is  the  language  of  the  great  apostle 
Paul,  by  what  authority  did  the  emperors  or  councils 
(such  as  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wylie  introduces  as  having  do- 
minion over  our  faith)  or  two  parts  out  of  three  of  the 
English  legislature  170  years  ago,  come  to  have  do- 
minion over  the  faith  of  a  people  above  2500  miles 
distance,  and  not  subject  to  their  laws  ?  and  by  what 
authority  does  the  author  of  the  Sons  of  Oil  come  for- 
ward, at  this  time  of  day,  to  enforce  that  claim  ?  Not 
certainly  by  the  authority  of  Christ,  or  of  his  apostles. 
It  does  not,  however,  appear,  from  any  records  I  have 
examined,  that  the  parliaments  of  either  England  or 
Scotland  imposed  the  league  and  covenant  as  a  term 
of  Christian  communion,  but  as  a  condition  of  enjoying 
civil  privileges.  In  Scotland  the  taking  of  it  was  en- 
forced by  severe  civil  penalties  ;  in  England  no  civil 
penalties  were  annexed  to  the  ordinance  of  parlia- 

•,  for  taking  the  covenant.  It  was  in  both,  however, 
made  a  condition  of  admission  into  the  ministry  of  the 
established  church,  viz.  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  esta- 
blished emoluments.  This  is  consistent  with  all  poli- 
tical establishments  of  religion,  because  the  ministers 
of  such  churches  are  in  so  far  officers  of  government; 
but  this  is  not  founded  on  the  authority  of  Christ  or 
his  apostles,  but  on  the  authority  of  Constantine  the 

it,  and  other  political  governments.  Yet  neither 
these  iuor  the  English  parliament  ever  attempted  to 
extend  their  ecclesiastic  jurisdiction  beyond  the  ex- 
tent of  their  civil  authority.  This  right  is,  for  the  first 


328 


OI3SEHVATIOKS  ON 


time,  asserted  by  those  assuming  the  name  of  reform- 
ed presbytery  in  this  country. 

JScclesiastic  authority  has  made  a  great  noise  in  the 
world.  It  has  not  been  the  church  of  Rome  only  that 
has  engaged  the  sword  of  the  civil  magistrate  to  exe- 
cute its  decrees,  or  to  support  them  by  penal  laws, 
viz.  persecution.  But  this  power  is  not  derived  from 
Christ.  He  could  have  converted  and  employed  kings 
and  emperors  to  be  ministers,  as  well  as  fishermen,  if 
it  had  been  his  will.  The  power  committed  by  Christ 
to  his  apostles  and  ministers,  is,  to  teach  all  things 
which  he  hath  commanded  them,  and  to  administer  his 
ordinances,  and  to  do  those  things  in  decency  and  order, 
that  his  ivorshifi  may  be  a  reasonable  service,  i.  e.  a  de- 
clarative and  ministerial,  or,  as  some  choose  to  express 
the  last,  executive  power ;  a  power  for  edification, 
and  not  for  destruction  ;  not  for  revenge,  or  for  the 
aggrandizement  of  churchmen,  to  which  purpose  it 
has  been  so  often  applied.  The  highest  censure  exer- 
cised by  the  apostles,  for  the  most  aggravated  of- 
fences, was  exclusion  from  the  communion  of  the 
church,  viz.  from  the  kingdom  of  God  then  erected  in 
the  world,  under  the  new  covenant  dispensation,  to 
the  kingdom  of  satan,  who  is  by  the  apostle  called 
the  God  of  this  world  for  edification,  that  the  soul 
might  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord.  It  went  no 
further  among  the  Jews  than  exclusion,  or  casting  out 
of  the  synagogue.  It  has  been  carried  much  further 
by  Christians.  It  consigned  the  body  to  death,  without 
allowing  time  for  repentance.  From  ihe  time  of  Con- 
stantine  and  the  council  of  Nice,  down  to  the  council 
of  Trent,  viz.  for  more  than  1200  years,  it  had  this  re- 
sult. Unhappily  it  did  not  stop  there.  It  has  been 


SONS  or 

-taut  states  j  so  that  even  protestant, 
as  well  as  popish  churches,  have  preferred  the  exam- 
ple, in  this  instance,  of  the  heathen  clruids  (the  priests 
of  human  sacrifices)  to  that  of  the  apostles  of  Christ. 
The  Saviour  not  only  refused  to  call  fire  from  hea- 
ven, at  the  request  of  his  apostles,  to  consume  the 

..-.Titans,  who  refused  to  recehe  him,  but  turned 
and  rebuked  them,  and  said)  ye  know  not  what  manner 
of  spirit  ye  are  of — which  that  learned  and  evangelical 
divine  (Hr.  Oucn)  explains  to  mean  :  Ye  know  not  the 
s/iirit  of  the  din/itnuati'jn  ye  are  under  ;  it  is  totally  dif- 
ferent from  that  under  ivhich  Ellas  was.  Under  that 
dispensation,  they  were  authorised  to  destroy  the  ido- 
latrous nations  of  Canaan  and  apostate  Israelites  ;  but 
the  Saviour  says,  he  came,  not  to  destroy  men.?'  lives^ 
but  to  save  them  ;  therefore ,  with  gi-vut  propriety  he 
is  called  the  Prince  of  Peace.  This  is  quoted  from 
ory. 

the  above  reasons  apply  against  all  terms  of  chris- 
tkm  communion,  prescribed  by  human  authority,  a 
few  observations  further  rru»y  be  necessary,  with  re- 
spect to  local  terms  of  communion  depending  wholly 
on  the  credibility  of  human  tradition.  Of  this  kind  are 
the  solemn  league  and  covenant,  and  all  the  testimo- 
nies in  its  support,  such  as  the  testimonies  and  decla- 
rations of  Sancques,  Lanerk,  Rutherglen,  Sec.  However 
suitable  they  were  to  the  then  time  and  occasions, 
they  were  not  intended  by  those  who- made  them,  to 
be  terms  of  church  communion.  Their  intention 
makes  no  difference.  They  had  no  authority  for  that 
purpose.  The  question  is,  are  they  prescribed  by  the 

our  as  terms  of  enjoying  communion  with  him  in 
the  ordinances  of  his  own  institution  ?    If  they  are, 
EC  2 


C3SERVATIONS  ON 

Christians  are  equally  obliged  to  subscribe  to  the  tes- 
timonies of  every  church,  from  that  of  Jerusalem  and 
Antioch,  where  the  disciples  were  first  called  chris- 
tians,  down  to  the  present  day.  Certainly  any  other, 
at  least  any  earlier  converted  church,  has  an  equal 
right  to  have  their  local  testimonies  made  a  term  of 
communion)  as  the  church  of  Scotland. 

Protestants  have  generally  agreed  in  rejecting  hu- 
man tradition  as  a  rule  of  faith,  and  in  making  the 
maintaining  of  it  one  principal  ground  of  separation 
from  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  as  well  as  the  insti- 
tuting terms  of  communion  by  human  authority.  The 
covenants  were  ordained  by  human  authority,  and  se- 
veral of  the  testimonies  in  support  of  them,  by  only  in- 
dividuals, neither  acting  in  a  political  or  ecclesiastic 
capacity,  nor  designed  by  them  as  terms  of  commu- 
nion in  the  church  of  Christ ;  but  only  as  a  declara- 
tion of  the  causes  for  which  they  suffered,  and  all  of 
them  handed  down  to  us  by  human,  and  much  contro- 
verted, tradition.  I  ask,  therefore,  with  what  consis- 
tency protestants  can  condemn  the  authority  of  tradi- 
tion in  the  church  of  Rome,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
oblige  protestants  to  receive  the  human  tradition  re- 
specting the  solemn  league,  Sec.  as  an  article  of  divine 
faith,  viz.  as  a  condition  of  communion  with  Christ  in 
his  ordinances.  Were  they  not  the  work  of  fallible  and 
erring  manj  and  the  tradition  uncertain  ? 

That  the  tradition  respecting  those  things  is  much 
controverted,  is  well  known  to  all  who  are  acquainted 
with  the  histories  of  these  times.  The  reformed  pres- 
bytery of  Scotland,  indeed,  in  their  testimony  (p.  201.) 
assert,  "  that  the  national  covenant  of  Scotland,  and 
the  solemn  league  entered  into  by  the  three  nations, 


THE  TWO   SON'S  OT  OIL.  331 

for  reformation  and  defence  of  religion,  Sec.  are  moral, 
and  so  perpetually  binding  upon  the  nations,  and  every 
individual  of  them,  to  the  latest  posterity."  This  opi- 
nion was  also  entertained  by  some  of  the  sufferers 
during  the  tyranny  of  the  two  last  of  the  Stuarts,  and 
appears  to  have  been  countenanced  by  the  intelligent 
Mr.  Shields,"  in  his  Hind  let  loote,  and  to  have  been 
handed  down  without  due  enquiry,  and  implicitly  re- 
ceived, certainly  without  other  authority  than  that  the 
name  of  Ireland  is  put  in  the  title,  which  proves  no 
further  than  that  those  who  framed  it  had  a  view  or 
expectation,  that  Ireland  would  engage  in  it ;  but  this 
never  took  place,  as  I  have  shewed  elsewhere,  and  also 
that  it  never  became  a  national  law  in  England. 

I  equally  reject  human  tradition,  if  it  was  ever  so 
certain,  and  human  authority,  if  it  was  ever  so  constitu- 
tionally exercised,  as  conditions  of  holding  communion 
with  Christ  in  his  ordinance  s  ;  but  how  much  more  ob- 
jcctionaM  lien  the  tradition  is  so  uncertain, 

and  the  authority  is  ex.  ithout  the  constitutional 

forms,  and  v\  hen  the;,  relate  to  things  changeable  in  their 
own  nature.  Scotland  and  England,  by  their  own  act, 
have  ceased  to  be  distinct  nations  above  one  hundred 
•.I  Ireland  has  ceased  to  be  a  distinct  na- 
tion abov  "s  since.  The  national  covenant  was 
taken  more  than  two  hundred  years  since,  and  the  so- 
lemn league  and  covenant  near  one  hundred  and  se- 
venty years  ago.  Thousands  of  the  posterity  of  the 
covenanters  in  this  and  other  countries,  do  not  know 
whether  their  ancestors  took  them  or  not  ;  and  many 
thousands,  not  having  access  to  the  history  of  those 
times,  do  not  know  that  such  an  instrument  ever  ex- 
isted, and  I  believe  that,  not  withstanding  this,  they 


•532  OBSERVATIONS  OJT 

having  the  Bible,  may  receive  Christ  as  he  is  freely 
offered  in  the  gospel,  and  be  entitled  to  the  ordinances 
of  his  house. 

It  is  not  easy  to  free  the  mind  from  prepossessions 
early  imbibed  and  deeply  impressed.  It  requires  some 
fortitude  to  bear  the  reproach  of  apostacy  and  back- 
sliding, from  those  who  have  more  zeal  than  know- 
ledge, and  perhaps  do  not  know  the  meaning  of  the 
terms  they  make  use  of.  There  can  be  no  backsliding 
or   apostacy  in  drawing  closer  to  the   pure  word   of 
God,  or  in  rejecting  such  terms  of  communion  as  arc 
not  prescribed  therein  to  the  people  of  every  nation 
or  language  under  heaven,  nor  in  rejecting  local  and 
traditionary  terms  of  Christian  communion,   when  en- 
joined  by  protestants,  more  than  when  they   are  en- 
joined by  papists.    Indeed  the  church  of  Rome  cried 
out  apostacy  against  the  reformers,  but  they  were  not 
deterred  by  this.     They  took  up  the  New  Testament 
as   containing  the  religion  of  Christians,  and  Christ, 
the  prophets,  and  the  apostles,  for  their  guide.    They 
loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death.  They  did  not  make 
self  or  party  aggrandizement  the  object  of  their  pur- 
suit,  as  has  been  since  done  in  the  greater  and   the 
lesser  apostate  and  apostatizing  churches.  I  sincerely 
believe,  that  all  the  superstition  and  will-worship  in- 
troduced  in    the  primitive  church,  before  it   became 
united  to,    and    governed  by,  the    kingdoms   of   this 
world,   were  introduced  with   the   purest  intentions ; 
and  that  the  promoters  of  them  believed   that  they 
were   reformers.    I  have  the  same   opinion  of  those, 
who,  with  ill-informed  zeal,  put  a  stop  to  advances  in 
reformation  at  the  threshold,  by  promoting  anew  the 
great   footstep   of  antichrist  to  hie  throne,  viz.   the 


THE   TWO   SOV*   OF   OIL.  333 

the   church  of  Christ,   which  is  not   of  this 
>rld,  with  the  kingdoms  and  politics  of  this  world, 

thereby  erecting  a  barrier  against  advances  in 
•mation.  From  that  time  reformation,  not  only  in 
icory,  but  in  practice,  has  declined.  Many  of  the  sue- 
of  those  who  promoted  and  protected  the  re- 
>rmation  in  its  beginning,  have  been  reconciled  to 
ic  Roman  Catholic  church.  The  territories  possess- 
ed by  protestants,  and  their  number,  have  been  great- 
ly contracted,  and  the  tents  of  the  Pope  and  Mahomet 
greatly  enlarged.  For  the  truth  of  this,  I  appeal  to 
history.  These  proofs  are  too  numerous  to  be  inserted 
in  this  place.  It  is  true  that  those  powers  are  coming 
down,  but  by  other  means  than  the  protcstant  refor- 
mation. It  is  well  known  to  all  who  are  acquainted 
with  the  controversies  between  the  Roman  Catholic 
and  protestant  doctors,  since  the  union  of  protestant 
churches  with  the  civil  state,  viz.  since  numerous  na- 
tional political  churches  grew  out  of  the  reformation, 
and  exerted  themselves  in  persecuting  or  tolciv; 
according  to  their  own  caprice,  such  as  did  not  ap- 
prove of  their  political  terms  of  communion,  form- 
id  changed  agreeable  to  their  own  interests  or 
caprice,  that  the  ingenious  Bosuet,  and  others,  taking 
advantage  of  this  circumstance,  have  demonstrated, 
to  the  conviction  of  numbers  o!  .s,  that  t! 

is   Ti"  i  difference  between  the  protestant  na- 

tional chi.  -;d  the  church  of  Rome  ;  that  the 

there  might  be  more   instances  of  superstition  in  the 
<-<mr*  k  ages,  crept,  into  the   church  of  R< 

than  into  the  newer  churches,  yt  t  tlie  human  authori- 
ty by  which  they  both   wcr: 
thai   much  of  the  rest  was  viily   in  hu 


334  OBSERVATIONS  ON      . 

&c.  and  those  doctors  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church, 
fortified  themselves  by  extracts  from  the  able  writings 
of  the  protestant  doctors,  especially  in  Britain,  in  fa- 
vour of  political  religious  establishments,  and  the  per- 
secution of  non-conformists.  It  is  well  known,  that, 
with  exception  of  occasional  revisings,  the  protestant 
churches  have  been  losing  ground,  both  in  purity  and 
power,  ever  since  they  were  connected  with,  and  go- 
verned by  political  influence.  I  will  appeal  to  every 
true  protestant  acquainted  with  church  history,  fop 
the  truth  of  the  following  fact,  viz.  that  no  political 
church  has  ever  reformed  itself,  further  than  contri- 
buted to  its  own  temporal  aggrandizement,  including 
the  civil  government  with  it,  to  whose  tyranny  the 
clergy  of  such  churches  almost  always  became  sub- 
servient. 

One  most  valuable  advantage,  indeed,  those  pro- 
testant churches  politically  established,  have  over  the 
Roman  Catholic  church,  as  established  by  Constantine 
and  Theodosius,  and  further  modified  by  successive 
emperors,  councils,  and  Popes,  viz.  in  all  the  protestant 
states,  the  laity  are  permitted  to  read  the  scriptures  in 
their  mother  tongue.  This  was  not  the  case  in  the 
Roman  church  ;  and  I  believe,  with  the  apostles,  that 
the  scriptures  contain  the  whole  will  of  God  necessary 
to  salvation.  The  church  is  built  upon  them  (Eph.  ii. 
20.)  They  are  able  to  make  wise  to  salvation,  through 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ  (2  Tim.  iii.  15.)  They  are  able  to 
save  our  souls  (James  i.  20.)  And  with  Luther,  and 
other  reformers,  that  neither  tradition,  the  opinions  of 
the  fathers,  nor  of  councils,  nor  any  thing  founded  on 
human  authority,  ought  to  be  brought  in  competition 
with  them.  Those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  wrff- 


THE  TWO  SOWS  OP  OIL.  033 

ings  of  Luther,  Calvin,  and  other  reformers  of  that 
age,  know  that,  next  to  preaching  the  gospel  for  sal- 
vation of  sinners,  and  connected  with  it,  their  object 
was,  overturning  tradition  and  human  authority,  in 
matters  of  conscience.  I  admit  also,  that  though  all 
the  national  churches  differ  from  each  other,  in  what 
they  require,  under  penalties  less  or  more  severe,  to 
be  believed  and  practised,  and  that,  though  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  church,  as  well  as  those  protestant 
churches,  retain  the  true  principles  of  the  Christian 
religion  in  their  creeds  ;  that,  yet  she  has  perverted 
those  principles  in  a  much  greater  degree,  and  disfi- 
gured and  disgraced  religion  with  a  much  greater 
amount  of  absurd  superstition,  than  the  protestant  na- 
tional churches.  This,  however,  must  be  admitted, 
that  the  church  of  Rome  has  not  enjoined  local  terms 
of  communion  j  she  has,  from  the  council  of  Nice 
down,  prescribed  for  the  whole  catholic  church,  and 
considered  and  punished  as  schismatics,  those  who  did 
not  obey.  It  is  true,  protestants  have  done  the  same 
thing.  Such  as  adhered  to  the  national  faith  of  the 
protestant  states  of  Switzerland,  were  persecuted  in 
Britain  ;  and  such  as  adhered  to  the  national  faith  of 
Britain,  were  persecuted  in  Saxony,  Denmark,  8cc. 
Even  in  the  present  more  moderate  times,  such  as 
adhere  to  the  national  faith  of  Scotland,  arc  excluded 
from  some  civil  privileges  in  England,  though  both 
are  governed  by  one  king  and  parliament.  This  state 
of  things  was  not  prescribed  by  Christ,  the  Christian- 
church's  sole  Head  and  Lawgiver. 

I  have  already  shewed,  that,  in  the  reformation  pe- 
riod, no  such  doctrine  was  advanced  by  the  reform- 
ers. All  of  them,  Mosheixn  informs  us,  asserted  the 


3S6r  OBSERVATIONS  ow 

right  of  submitting  religious  truth  to  private  judg- 
ment. This,  indeed,  was  the  fundamental  principle  oP 
the  reformation  itself.  All  the  reformers  had  some 
shades  of  difference  of  opinion.  Not  only  Luther  la- 
boured under  a  mistak-e  about  the  real  presence  in 
4the  sacrament,  but  Calvin,  Zuinglius,  Sec.  differed 
from  each  other  on  that  subject;  though  they  all  dif- 
fered from  Luther,  yet  they  all  held  communion  with 
each  other,  till  the  idol  of  uniformity  in  the  national 
churches  was  introduced. 

That  the  principle  of  expedience,  viz.  being  agree- 
able to  the  opinions  of  the  majority  of  the  people  to 
be  governed,  and  to  the  interest  of  those  in  whom  the 
powers  of  the  government  were  vested,  was  the  foun- 
dation on  which  all  the  political  establishments  of  re- 
ligion, in  the  protestant  states  of  Europe,  were  found- 
ed, might  be  easily  evinced  from  the  history  of  the 
union  of  church  and  state  in  each  of  them.  That  this 
was  the  foundation  of  the  unhallowed  union  which 
first  commenced  during  the  reign  of  Constantino  the 
Great,  in  the  fourth  century,  has  already  been  demon- 
strated. I  shall  only,  in  this  place,  add  a  concise  state- 
ment of  the  political  reformation,  as  established  in  the 
United  Provinces,  more  generally  in  this  country 
known  by  the  name  of  Holland,  the  principal  province, 
the  churches  of  which,  in  this  country,  are  known  by 
the  name  of  Low  Dutch. 

The  seventeen  provinces  of  the  Netherlands  had 
been  formerly  so  many  different  states,  subject  to  their 
respective  sovereign  dukes,  earls,  Sec.  in  all  of  which, 
however,  the  people,  the  nobles,  and  the  clergy,  re- 
tained a  vote  in  making  their  own  laws.  All  these 
small  sovereignties,  through  the  means  of  intermar- 


THE   TWO   SONS  OF   OIL.  557 

i,  successions,  &c.  became  subject  to  the  dukes 
of  Burgundy,  each  of  them,  however,  still  retaining 
their  own  laws  and   privileges.     Under  this  govern- 
ment they  prospered  so  greatly,  that  their  cities  be- 
came the  manufacturers  and  marts  of  commerce  for 
all  Europe.  By  intermarriages,  the  dominions  of  Bur- 
gundy became  transferred   to  the   house  of  Austria, 
and,  eventually,  both   came   to  be  united   under  the 
crown  of  Spain.    Charles  V.  the   first  who  came  to 
possess  that  vast  empire,  was  also  elected  emperor  of 
Germany,  about  the  commencement  of  the  reforma- 
tion.   He  persecuted  the  Lutherans  in  Germany,  and 
his  powerful  and  persecuting  rival,  Francis  I.  perse- 
cuted the  disciples  of  Calvin,   8cc.   in    France,   whilo 
Henry  VIII.  did  the  same  in  England,  and  James  V 
in  Scotland.  Charles,  while  he  persecuted  the  reform- 
ers in  his  other  extensive  dominions,  did  not  infringe 
on  the  constitutional  rights   of  the  states  of  the  Ne- 
therlands  (Burgundy)   which  was  his  native  country, 
and  which  had  assisted  him  greatly  in  his  wars ;   con- 
sequently, these  states,   even  while  they  remained  in 
the  profession  of  the  Romish  religion,  as  ten  out  of  the 
seventeen  continued  to  do,  yet  they  received  and  pro- 
tected the  persecuted  protcstants  of  all  nations,  who, 
though  they  all  agreed  in  renouncing  popery,  human 
inventions,  and  the   authority  of  human  tradition,   in 
the  worship  of  God,  yet  differed  in  many  other  points 
of  inferior  importance. 

When  Philip  succeeded  to  Charles,  in  the  posses- 
sion of  Spain,  the  low  countries,  8cc.  he  deprived  the 
states  of  Burgundy  of  their  ajicient  rights,  govt 
them  by  foreign  troops,  forced  on  them  fourteen  addi- 
tional bishops,  and  supported  these  by  an  infcrna! 
Ff 


333  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

court  of  inquisition,  formerly  unknown  to  that  coun- 
try, and  exacted  the  most  exorbitant  taxes.  The  blood 
of  the  protestants  was  shed,  without  regard  to  age  or 
sex,  till  much  of  the  country  was  laid  desolate.  When 
oppression  and  tyranny  were  at  an  unexampled  height, 
the  people  in  the  province  of  Holland  stood  on  their 
own  defence,  and  soon  after  seven  of  the  provinces 
united  in  declaring  themselves  independent  of  Spain, 
which,  with  occasional  assistance  from  queen  Elizabeth 
of  England,  some  of  the  princes  of  Germany,  and  the 
•protestants  of  France,  after  sixty  years  Avar,  from  be- 
ing exceedingly  weak  and  poor,  had  their  indepen- 
dence acknowledged  even  by  Spain,  whose  over- 
grown power  they  had  contributed  greatly  to  reduce, 
and  were  become  themselves  rich  and  powerful. 

When  they  constituted  an  independent  govern- 
ment, they  left  as  much  of  the  ancient  civil  privileges 
in  the  possession  of  provinces  and  cities,  as  was  con- 
sistent with  ttieir  federal  union,  but  made  an  essential 
alteration  in  the  established  religion.  Having  been  be- 
fore oppressed  by  bishops,  and  their  ecclesiastic 
courts,  and  by  their  voice  in  the  government  of  the 
states,  they  abolished  the  order.  They  not  only  de- 
clined the  protestant  hierarchy  admitted  in  England, 
but  the  less  exceptionable  episcopacy  of  the  Lutheran 
states,  and  admitted  of  no  higher  order  than  presby- 
teries, and  even  those  they  restrained  from  any  share 
in  the  civil  government,  or  from  any  power  of  oppress- 
ing other  sects,  by  levying  tithes  or  other  church 
dues,  as  is  done  in  Britain.  They  are  paid  a  moderate 
salary  by  government,  and  are  severe  reprovers  of 
vice,  but  never  interfere  with  the  principles  or  the 
pleasures  of  the  government  in  their  administrations. 


THE  TWO  90XS  OF   OIL. 


They  profess  the  same  doctrinal  faith  of  the  othrr  re- 
formed churches,  and  maintain  the  presbyterian  church 
government  and  discipline  of  Geneva.  This  is  th-. 
ublished   form   of   religion  in  the  United  Provinces, 
tailed  formerly  in  Scotland,  Sec.   Netherlands. 

But  as  the  great  cause  of  their  revolt  was  perse- 
cution, on  account  of  difference  of  religion,  and  op- 
pression, the  great  care  of  these  states,  since  their 
establishment,  has  been  to  guard  against  those  < 
and  favour,  by  civil  authority,  no  peculiar  or  cir 
inquisition  into  the  faith  or  religious  principle 
any  peaceable  men,  who  come  to  live  under  the  pro- 
tection of  their  laws,  and  to  suffer  no  violence  or  op- 
pression on  any  man's  conscience,  whose  opinions 
break  not  out  into  expressions  or  actions  of  ill  conse- 
quence to  the  peace  of  the  state.  Having,  at  a  great 
expense  of  blood  and  treasure,  contended  for  these 
rights  themselves,  they  thought  it  unreasonable  to  re- 
fuse them  to  others.  With  respect  to  any  new  sect, 
however,  commissioners  are  appointed  to  examine 
whether  or  not  their  principles  are  consistent  with  the 
peace  of  the  country,  before  they  are  permitted  tp 
hold  public  assemblies  ;  but  no  inquisition  is  held  on 
the  worship  in  private  families. 

The  Roman  Catholic  religion  alone,  was  at  first 
cxcepted  from  the  common  protection  of  their  laws, 
on  the  opinion  that  their  acknowledgment  of  a  foreign 
and  superior  jurisdiction  (of  the  Pope)  had  a  ten- 
dency to  make  men  worse  subjects  ;  and  that  by  t. 
religion,  they  seemed  :•  -  nt,  and  were  probably 

attached  to  the  Spanish  government,  the  great  fiatron 
of  popery  and  persecution.  They  have  never,  however, 
persecuted  the  Roman  Catholics  for  not  renouncing 


340  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

the  faith  of  their  ancestors  ;  the  states  did  not  attempt 
to  bribe  or  force  them  to  become  hypocrites,  and 
they  having  proved  themselves  to  be  peaceable  citi- 
zens, were  permitted  to  enjoy  equal  protection  as 
other  sects,  except  that  they  are  disqualified  from 
holding  offices  of  trust.  The  constitution  and  adminis- 
tration of  the  churches  of  the  United  Provinces,  have 
continued  without  any  change  from  the  time  of  the 
reformation,  and  without  persecution,  which,  it  is  be- 
lieved, cannot  be  said  of  any  other  protestant  esta- 
blishment. 

For  an  account  of  the  reformation  of  the  churches 
cf  the  United  Provinces,  I  might  refer  to  different  his- 
tories ;  but  the  above  is  an  abstract  of  what  is  stated 
by  the  very  intelligent  sir  William  Temple,  in  his  ob- 
servations on  the  United  Provinces,  and,  as  far  as  con- 
venient, in  his  own  words.  He  was  long  resident  mi- 
nister from  the  court  of  London  to  the  government  of 
the  United  Provinces ;  and,  on  his  return,  refusing  to 
be  minister  of  the  state  in  the  corrupt  court  of  Charles 
II.  he  retired  to  private  life,  and  wrote  his  considera- 
tionsy  a  statement  of  his  negociation,  Sec.  at  the  same 
period  when  the  persecuted  presbytcriaus  of  Scotland 
were  in  communion  with  the  churches  of  Holland. 

I  have  selected  the  account  of  the  reformed  esta- 
blishment of  religion  in  the  United  Provinces  in  pre- 
ference to  that  of  other  protestant  states,  because  the 
reformed  church  of  Scotland  always  held  communion 
•with  it,  and  through  it  with  the  Swiss  and  Palatinate 
churches,  and  the  persecuted  protestants  of  France  ; 
with  them  those  \vho  were  banished  by  James  VI.  and 
eharles  I.  of  Scotland,  took  refuge  during  the  strug- 
gles for  power  between  the  civil  and  ecclesiastic  au- 


THE   1\VO   SOYS   OF   OIL.  341 

thority  in  thai  nation  during  those  reigns,  and  some  of 
them  became  ministers  of  congregations,  and  teachers 
in  the  universities  of  these  states.  It  was  to  this  church 
that  the  persecuted  prcsbyterians,  during  the  esta- 
blishment of  episcopacy  and  persecution  in  Scotland 
by  Charles  II.  and  James  II.  resorted.  It  was  in  the 
seminaries  of  the  United  Provinces  that  their  students 
received  education  for  the  ministry,  and  also  ordina- 
tion from  their  churches.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Kenwick,  th« 
last  who  suffered  death  as  a  presbyterian,  under  James 
II.  in  Scotland,  and  many  others,  who  became  after- 
wards  shining  lights  in  the  gospel  ministry  in  that 
church,  were  ordained  by  the  Low  Dutch  presbyte- 
ries, there  called  classes,  and  they  having  made  no 
change,  still  are  in  communion  with  the  presbyterian 
church  of  Scotland,  as  restored  and  established  at  the 
revolution ;  and  as  they  were  before  that  period  with 
the  same  presbyterians  when  they  suffered  persecu- 
tion under  episcopal  tyranny.  The  old  dissenters, 
therefore,  seventeen  years  after  the  restoration  of 
i.-yiery  in  Scotland,  formed  a  worshipping  congre- 
>n,  and  several  years  afterwards  constituted  the 
reformed  presbytery,  separate  from  the  presbytcriati 
national  church,  and,  therefore,  separate  from  the 
churches  of  Holland,  and  consequently  from  the  per- 
secuted ;•  during  the  reign  of  the  Stuart.s, 
.•lie  it  new  church,  separate  from  all  other  rv- 
iormed  churches.  That  the  presbyterian  national 
churches  of  Holland  themselves  considered  ii  in  this 
point  of  \ie\v,  and  declined  holding  communion  with 
the  old  dissenters  in  their  state  of  separation  from 
the  presbyterian  church,  as  iv stored  in  Scotland, 
admitted  in  the  judicial  testimony  of  the 
r  f2 


J»*  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

presbytery  of  Scotland.  Certainly  the  same  reasons 
which  they  apply  in  support  of  their  separation,  would 
equally  apply  against  every  other  national  reformed 
church,  as  none  of  them  have  established  their  forms 
of  church  government,  as  of  exclusive  divine  right, 
but  as  expedient.  The  famous  protestant  churches  of 
France  have  supported  their  government  and  order 
under  such  bloody  scenes  of  persecution,  as  has  pro- 
duced a  more  numerous  list  of  martyrs  than  any  other 
nation  can  shew,  without  ever  thinking  of  the  civil 
magistrates'  power,  circa  sacra.  All  they  claimed,  or 
plead  for,  was  protection  in  worshipping  Almighty 
God  agreeably  to  the  discoveries  of  his  wiH  to  their 
Own  understanding  and  judgment,  viz.  conscience.  In 
this  they  are  in  perfect  unison  with  the  presbyterians 
of  the  United  States,  at  least  with  the  general  assembly 
and  associate  reformed  synod,  and  the  persecuted  pro- 
testants  of  France  have  always  held  communion  with 
the  other  reformed  churches,  where  Providence  or- 
dered their  lot  in  their  dispersions.  If  we  look  for  a 
divine  form  of  church  government  and  discipline,  we 
must  seek  for  it  in  the  New  Testament,  and  not  in  the 
imperfect  decrees  of  states,  or  of  church  and  state 
united  ;  and  in  receiving  it  with  a  divine  faith,  we  must 
receive  it  as  dictated  by  divine,  and  not  by  human  au- 
thority. The  church  of  Rome,  for  many  ages,  assumed 
divine  authority,  both  in  spiritual  and  temporal  con- 
cerns. They  disposed  of  and  dictated  laws  to  king- 
doms, as  well  as  to  churches,  and  claimed  the  exclu- 
sive right  of  doing  so.  The  civil  governments  of  the 
protestant  states  have  not  gone  quite  so  far.  They  have 
only  dictated  to  their  own  subjects,  and  permitted 
•ther  sovereign  states  to  dictate  to  theirs  agreeably 


THE  TWO   SONS  OF   OIL.  343 

to  their  own  interests.  Supposing  Mr.  Wylie,  and  the 
new  church  in  this  country,  of  which  he  is  a  minister, 
to  be  right,  they  must  admit  that  they  are  so  on  origi- 
nal ground,  for  they  can  claim  no  example  as  their 
model  from  the  reformed,  nor  from  the  primitive 

-tolic  churches,  nor  from  the  saints  during  the 
Old  Testament  dispensation.  They  have  the  testimo- 
ny of  no  approved  commentators,  nor  of  martyrs,  in 
their  favour.  None  ever  suffered  martyrdom  under 
such  civil  governments  as  those  of  the  United  States  ; 
and  no  commentators,  to  which  I  have  had  access, 
have  dared  to  pervert  the  plain  grammatical  language 
of  scripture  in  such  manner  as  to  support  the  system 
•which  he  advocates.  Where,  then,  is  the  great  cloud 
of  witnesses  and  approved  commentators,  to  which, 
in  order  to  deceive  the  uninformed,  he  has  appealed, 
without  even  naming  or  making  quotations  from  any 
of  them  ?  Those  who  presume,  whether  clothed  with 
the  purple  robes  and  other  regalia  of  supreme  civil 
authority,  the  red  hat  and  scarlet  robes  of  the  Vatican, 
viz.  the  sacerdotal  conclave  of  Rome,  or  the  more 
nt  and  modest  garb  of  a  protestant  minister  of  the 
gospel,  to  dictate  to  poor  guilty  sinners,  as  all  the 
sous  of  Adam  are,  what  doctrine  they  shall  believe,  or 
what  worship  they  shall  offer  to  God,  in  order  to  obtain 
•ion,  \i/.  in  what  sense  or  on  what  authority  of 
church  or  state  they  shull  receive  the  scriptures — Such 
teachers  arc,  in  so  far,  Antichrists,  of  \\hich  an  apos- 
tle t<  i hat  there  v>ere  many  even  in  his  own 
time. 

The   creeds   or  confessions   of   all   the    rcf<> 
churches  renounce  the  authority  of  church  or  state  to 
prescribe  articles  of  faith  ;    but  those  of  the 


344  OBSERVATIONS    ON 

church   support  the  authority  of  the  church  to  pne- 
scribe  rites  and  ceremonies  not  contrary  to  the  word 
of  God,  and  of  the  state  to  enforce  their  observance. 
That  the  church  has  authority  from  scripture  to  pre- 
scribe rules  for  the  decent  and  orderly  administration 
of  divine  ordinances,  is  fully  admitted;   and  also  that, 
as  the  exercise  of  this  authority  must  depend  much 
upon  human  discretion  and  circumstances,   they  may 
vary  in  different  times  and  places,  is  admitted  ;   but 
these  can  never  be  objects  of  divine  faith;  therefore, 
as  great  personal   liberty  should   be  permitted  in  the 
use  of  them,  as  could  be  done  without  evident  confu- 
sion. This  was  all  that  was  plead  for  by  the  puritans. 
This  necessary  authority  has,  indeed,  been  carried  so 
far  by  some  protestant  churches,  as  to  approach  to  su- 
perstition, and  they  have  been  enforced  as  if  they  were 
articles  of  divine  faith  ;  but  the  obligation  of  national 
and  local  covenants  are  not  even  plead  for  as  rules  of 
decency  and  order  in  the  worship  of  God,  but  as  arti- 
cles of  faith  and  of  unchangeable  local  obligation  on 
some  churches,  and  not  on  others,  and  require  a  di- 
vine faith  in  uncertain  human  tradition,  and  a  know- 
ledge of  the  history  of  a  particular  nation,  or  else  im- 
plicit belief  respecting  it.  This  neither  the  scriptures,, 
the  primitive  church,  nor  the  reformers  required.  They 
do  not,  therefore,   as  terms  of  religious  communion,, 
belong  to  the  Christian  church,  but  are  solely  the  in- 
vention of  iallible  men.   That  they  contain  part  of  the 
moral  law   is  admitted,  and  so   do  the  articles  of  the 
church  of  Rome,  and  every  other  sect;  but  the  obli- 
gation to  obey  this  does  not  depend  on  human  autho- 
rity ;  it  has  the  same  infallible  authority  at  all  times, 
and  in  ail  nations. 


THE   TWO    SDKS    OF   OIL.  345 

To  the  advocates  of  persecution  I  wish  to  address 
*  few  thoughts.  All  the  arguments  of  Bcllarmin  and 
Bossuet,  assisted  by  all  their  army  of  popish  doctors  ;  all 
the  sophistry  of  Bolingbroke,  Hume,  Voltaire,  Gibbon, 
and  the  whale  phalanx  of  deists,  even  with  the  assis- 
tance of  the  Socimans,  cannot  injure  the  cause  of  Chris- 
tianity so  much,  as  one  instance  of  persecution  by  real 
protestants,  in  support  of  their  divine  religion.  Pure 
Christianity  depends  on  other  authority  than  the  gal- 
lows, or  the  faggot,  fines  or  forfeitures.  Having  re- 
course to  these  in  its  support  is,  in  fact,  giving  up  the 
cause.  It  is  an  open  acknowledgment,  that  it  cannot 
be  supported  by  scripture  and  reason.  If  so,  it  is  not 
of  God,  and  ought  to  be  given  up. 

The  first  reformers,  except  Zuinglius,  were  op- 
posed to  civil  government  making  laws  for  the  church. 
Calvin  contended  against  it ;  so  did  the  reformers  of 
Scotland — but  unhappily,  that  church  called  on  the 
state  to  support  its  censures  by  civil  penalties ;  this 
soon  after  turned  against  their  successors  with  seve- 
rity. The  doing  so  was  inconsistent  with  the  doctrine 
on  which  the  reformation  was  built,  which  was  the 
•tares,  addressed  to  the  consciences  of  indivi- 
duals. 

The  division  of  presbyteriuns  into  numerous  sects, 
especially  in  Britain,  and  from  thence  carried  into 
this  country,  all  of  them  holding  the  same  faith,  arid, 
at  the  same  time,  as  far  as  in  them  lies,  unchurching 
each  other,  originated,  as  I  have  said,  with  political 
«  enforced  by  civil  authorir.  new  tes; 

haic,  and  source  of  endless  division 
animosity-  I  speak  here  of  the  -  ••  Uo  profess  to 

adhere  to  the  Westminster  Conic  s  si  wi  oi   iuith,  and 


246  ORSKHYATIOXS   ON 

Presbyterian  Church  Government.  The  old  dissenters 
separated  from  the  established  presbyterian  church 
of  Scotland,  and  instituted  the  reformed  presbytery. 
That  presbytery,  more  than  fifty  years  ago,  separated 
into  two  reformed  presbyteries,  who  wrote  and  testi- 
Red  against  each  other.  In  this  country,  within  a  fe-vr 
years  past,  t\vo  reformed  presbyteries  have  started, 
who  not  only  refuse  to  hold  communion  with  each 
other  in  sealing;  ordinances,  but  in  social  prayer.  I 
have  known  two  praying  societies  held  in  different 
apartments  of  the  same  house,  occupied  by  the  fa- 
ther and  the  son,  who  would  not,  in  prayer,  hold  com- 
munion with  each  other.  Both  these  reformed  pres- 
byteries, it  is  understood,  make  the  covenants  of  Bri- 
tain and  persecution,  as  they  believe,  authorised  br 
the  judicial  law  of  Moses,  terms  of  communion,  both 
separate  from,  and  unchurch  all  other  sects  but  their 
own.  I  have  understood  that  they  only  differed  about 
the  application  of  their  testimony  to  the  civil  govern- 
ments of  this  country.  Such  a  question  was  never  agi- 
tated by  the  apostles,  nor  by  the  early  reformers. 

After  the  well  known  secession  of  the  divines  from 
the  established  church  of  Scotland,  who  instituted  the 
associate  presbytery,  that  presbytery  soon  divided  into 
two  associate  presbyteries,  I  believe  now  synods,  who 
censured  and  excluded  each  other  from  communion, 
viz.  as  far  as  it  was  in  their  power,  unchurched  each 
other.  They  did  not  assign  the  defectiveness  of  the 
constitution  of  the  established  church,  on  the  ground 
of  their  separation,  as  the  old  dissenters  had  done ; 
but  some  instances  of  unfaithfulness  and  tyranny  of 
its  administration,  and  errors  in  doctrine  not  duly  op- 
posed. These  sects  (since  called  scceders)  both  when 


T1IK  TWO  SOS'S   07   OIL  34.7 

they  separated  from  the  estu  ;ich,  and  from 

each  other,  adopted  the  obligation  of  the  national  co- 
renants  as  terms  of  communion,  but  not  to  the  same 
extent  that  the  reformed  presbytery  had  done;  they 
did  not  apply  them  so  us  to  justify  disowning  the  ci- 
vil government  of  the  country,  or  disobeying  their 
lawi'ul  commands.  This  occasioned  a  lasting  contro- 
n  these  two  bodies  and  the  reformed 
presbytery,  in  which  Christian  charity  and  moderation 
were  not  prominent  featun 

The  seccders  divided  about  an  oath  required  in 
the  royal  burghs  (incorporated  towns)  in  Scotland,  to' 
maintain  the  true  religion,  as  by  law  established. 
Strange  it  is  indeed,  that  such  a  local  question  should 
have  been  made  a  condition  of  holding  communion 
with  Christ  in  his  ordinances,  but  still  more  strange, 
that  it  should  have  been  promoted  as  such  in  Ireland 
and  America,  among  a  people,  who,  many  of  them 
probably,  did  not  know  that  such  a  place  as  Scotland 
existed,  and  where,  it  is  at  least  probable  that  few  of 
them  were  acquainted  with  the  laws  or  powers  of  the 
1  burghs  of  Scotland.  Though  it  is  the  country  of 
my  ancestors,  I  am  not  acquainted  with  those  laws. 
Those  who  objected  to  making  this  oath  a  condition 
of  Christian  .on,  among  whom  we  find  the 

:ctal)le  names  of  some  eminent 

such  as  the  Rev.  ."•'  Sec.  took 

the  designation  o:  :id  the  o'l 

of  antiburghers.   I  ciu  remember,  though  then  almost 
a  child,  the  time  thai  ihcse  hard  names   \vcro  intro- 
duced in  the  norih  ol  "j ;    i.u.d  as  terms  of  commu;. 
and  was  not   a  liti!  !  ;   to 

this  country,   to  fir.  .         ,;:us  of  commu- 


348  •BSEnV-ATlONS  O* 

Tiion  and   separation,  injurious  to   Christianity   itself 
transferred  to  America. 

In  a  few  years  after,  both  parties  were  so  much 
convinced  of  the  impropriety  of  such  conduct,  in  the 
church  of  Christ,  that  they  formed  a  union  ;  but  this 
union  the  antibargher  synod  in  Scotland  dissolved  by 
an  authoritative  decree.  Such  is  the  result  of  protes- 
tant  churches  assuming  the  authority  of  the  church  of 
Rome.  The  reformed  presbytery  having  in  this  coun 
try?  agreeable  to  the  plainest  dictates  of  scripture 
and  reason,  renounced  all  human  authority  and  local 
testimonies,  as  conditions  of  holding  communion  with 
Christ  in  his  ordinances,  and  as  wholly  inapplicable 
to  the  circumstances  of  this  country.  On  this  ground 
the  scceders  and  reformed  presbytery  united,  with  the 
exception  of  two  antiburgher  seceding  ministers. 
The  ground  of  their  opposition  was,  that  a  member  of 
the  reformed  presbytery  moved,  as  a  preliminary  re- 
solution, that  both  parties  should  renounce  all  subordi- 
nation to  foreign  jurisdiction,  against  which  the  two 
members  voted,  and  on  this  ground  dissented  from  the 
union.  I  was  a  member  of  that  conference.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  detail  all  that  followed,  but  it  was  not  con- 
ducted without  the  opposition  of  low  intrigue.  Of  one 
thing  I  am  certain,  that  in  the  opinion  of  those  pious 
and  disinterested  ministers  of  the  gospel  who  pro- 
moted that  union,  it  was  not  their  object  to  stop  there. 
It  certainly  was  not  mine.  I  thought  I  saw  a  promis- 
ing opening  for  uniting  all  the  Christian  sects  in  this 
country,  who  professed  the  same  faith,  in  the  same 
communion.  This  I  had  long  revolved  in  my  mind, 
and  sincerely  rejoiced  at  the  probability  of  its  confir- 
mation. It  was  attempted,  with  promising  circum- 


1  UK    TWO   SON'S  OF   OIL.  349 

stances,  but  failed  in  the  issue,  from  the  passions  and 
caprice  of  men.  It  will  yet  succeed,  though  I  may  not 
live  to  sec  it.  It  will  do  so  when  the  authority  of  God  in 
the  scriptures  is  ta  to  rule,  and  the  exam- 

ples of  the  apostles  and  reformers  are  followed;  and 
local  testimonies,  national  covenants,  8cc.  discarded 
from  the  Christian 

The  result  of  the  facts  I  have  stated  above,  is,  or 
has  not  long  since  been,  that  the  prcsbytcrians  in 
Scotland,  five  different  sects,  all  of  them  unchurching 
each  other — that  is  to  say,  excluding  each  other  from 
church  communion,  existed,  viz.  The  presbyterian 
church  by  law  established,  two  reformed  prcsbytc 
and  two  associate  synods,  all  at  war  with  each  other, 
and,  as  far  as  lay  with  them,  excluding  each  other 
from  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  this  world,  in  which  I 
have  no  doubt  that  his  sincere  worshippers,  from  all 
these  sects,  will  be  admitted  into  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven. I  do  not,  however,  suppose,  that  the  church  of 
Christ  is  to  be  found  only  among  presbyterians  ;  but 
use  the  divisions  among  that  body  are  more  sin- 
gular than  what  has  taken  place  among  other  Chris- 
tians, I  speak  particularly  of  them.  They  all  agi  < 
professing  to  tukr  tin-  scriptures  as  the  alone  perfect 
rule  of  faith  and  manners,  and  also  in  professing,  that 
the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  as  stated  in  the  Westmin- 
ster Confession  of  Faith  and  Catechisms,  are  agreea- 
ble to  scripture  ;  they  all  have  the  same  form  of  church 
government  and  order  of  worship.  This  Confession, 
See.  must  be  very  imperfect  indeed,  or  else  their  dif- 
ferences must  be  about  things  comparatively  small. 

I  know*well  that  the  old  dissenters,  who,  perhaps, 
the.  most  strict  of  all  the  sects,  against  occasional 

GB 


350  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

communion,  did  not  mean  thereby  to  unchurch  other 
sects,  or  that  their  ministers  were  not  the  ministers 
of  Christ.  They  believed  that  many  of  them  preached 
the  gospel  truly,  and  they  read  their  sermons  freely 
when  they  were  printed,  though  they  would  not  hear 
them  preached.  They  made  the  attendance  on  praying 
societies,  when  they  had  not  their  own  ministers  to 
hear,  a  condition  of  communion  ;  and  hearing  the 
most  orthodox  minister  preach,  even  the  sermon  that 
they  would  read  in  their  societies,  when  published,  a 
ground  of  exclusion  and  censure.  This  they  called 
faithful  testimony  bearing  for  the  glory  of  God.  They 
considered  all  other  presbyterians  as  having,  in  a 
lesser  or  greater  degree,  apostatized  from  the  cove- 
nanted work  of  reformation,  and  that  it  was  their  duty, 
and  for  the  glory  of  God,  to  testify  against  that  defec- 
tion, by  keeping  separate  from  those  who  were  charge- 
able with  it.  Stated  testimonies,  in  the  church  of 
Scotland,  originated  from  the  conflicts  that  were  oc- 
casioned by  the  addition  made  to  the  national  cove- 
nant, and  the  solemn  league,  soon  after  enforced  ;  but 
the  testimonies  emitted  during  the  tyranny  of  the  Stu- 
arts, which  were  numerous,  and  not  always  consistent, 
were  certainly  never  intended  by  the  pious  and  op- 
pressed authors,  as  a  term  of  communion  for  the 
church,  even  at  that  time  of  tyranny,  and  much  less  for 
posterity  in  times  of  peace— they  were  only  intended 
for  the  vindication  of  the  sufferers.  Yet  they  have 
been  not  only  used  as  terms  of  communion,  but  even 
given  as  authoritative  examples  for  a  continued  emis- 
sion of  such  testimonies,  and  the  approbation  of  these 
testimonies  again  made  terms  of  church  communion  ; 
and  the  support  gf  the  covenanted  work  of  reformation 


THF.   TWO   SOXB   OF  OIL.  35  I 

has  been  made  the  great  object  of  them  all.  However, 
after  persecution  for  religious  opinions  ceased,  and  pro- 
tection was  extensively  afforded  to  all  who  live  peace- 
ably, even  to  those  who  made  it  a  part  of  their  religion 
to  disown  the  authority  of  the  government  itself.  Stated 
?(  vumonies  were  still  emitted,  to  shew  on  what  prin- 
ciples the  new  church,  or  sect,  was  founded,  and  the 
grounds  on  which  they  kept  separate  from  other 
sects.  Of  this  kind  was  the  judicial  testimonies  of  the 
associate  and  reformed  presbyteries  of  Scotland,  and 
such  is  the  judicial  testimony  of  the  new  reformed 
presbytery  of  this  country,  to  which  Mr.  Wylie's  Sons 
of  Oil  was  the  precursor.  These,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
became  terms  of  church  communion  with  the  sect  to 
which  they  belonged.  Though  the  local  testimonies, 
during  the  persecution  in  Scotland,  varying  according 
Jb  the  occasion,  were  not  then  emitted  as  terms  of 
communion  in  the  church  of  Christ,  yet  they  have 
been  adopted  as  such  in  the  testimony  of  the  reform- 
ed presbytery,  Sec.  This  has  introduced  a  habit  of 
stated  testimonies  to  such  a  degree,  that,  ever  since  I 
mber,  many  zealous  people  of  that  society  were 
calling  for  them  before  they  were  thought  ncce 
or  could  be  agreed  upon  by  their  ministers  ;  and  they 
were  often  offended  at  their  ministers  it  they  neglect- 
ed, at  least  in  the  application  of  their  sermons,  to  give 
a  testimony  against  the  sins  and  defections  of  the 
times,  viz.  of  the  civil  magistracy,  and  the  ministry  of 
other  sects,  always  considering  their  own  sect  as  the 
pure  church  of  Christ,  and  their  own  opinions  oi  civil 
magistracy  as  the  only  perfect  model.  There  is  s' 
thing,  indeed,  pleasing  to  human  nature,  in  discerning 
the  faults  of  all  around  us,  and  not  teeing  our  own. 


WBSKKVATIOXi    ON 

Vet  that  disposition  is  the  soirrce  of  many  of  the  reli- 
gious and  political  parties,  and  of  the  party  spirit,  that 
has  perplexed  both  church  and  state  in  modern  times. 

It  long  since  gave  me  pain  to  hear,  frequently,  the 
misapplication  of  scripture  texts,  in  support  of  those 
stated  local  testimonies.  Such  as,  "  bind  up  the  testi- 
mony"— "To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony,  if  they 
walk  not  according  to  this  word,  it  is  because  there  is 
no  light  in  them."  The  term  testimony  is  above  fifty 
times  mentioned  in  the  Bible,  but  in  no  one  instance  is 
it  applied  to  instruments  or  laws  made  by  human  au- 
thority. In  the  Old  Testament  it  i«  frequently  applied 
to  the  Sinai  covenant,  and  the  two  tables  containing 
the  moral  law  ;  to  the  ark  in  which  they  were  depo- 
sited ;  to  the  tabernacle,  &c.»  In  the  Psalms  it  is  fre- 
quently put  for  the  whole  revealed  will  of  God.  In 
the  New  Testament  it  frequently  means  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  and  the  miracles  that  bear  testimony  to  the 
truth  thereof,  and  the  testimony  of  our  consciences. 
Among  men  in  civil  affairs,  it  means  the  testimony 
given  on  oath  to  the  truth  of  a  fact  within  the  know- 
ledge of  the  witnesses.  "  It  is  written  that  the  testi- 
mony of  two  men  is  true" — John  xviii.  17.  None  of 
those  will  apply  to  such  testimonies  as  have  been,  by 
some  sects,  made  the  evidences  of  a  true  church  of 
Christ  for  150  years  past. 

But,  besides  this,  I  am  equally  opposed  to  addi- 
tional terms  of  communion,  to  those  which  the  scrip- 
ture prescribes,  as  I  am  to  any  other  popish  corrup- 
tion. I  know  nothing  about  such  a  Christian  church  as 
prescribes  peculiar  conditions  of  communion  for  one 
nation,  that  arc  not  equally  binding  on  all  nations. 
Such  was  the  commission  given  to  the  apostles.  (Murk 


THE    1  OF    OIL.  353 

16.)    The  national  covenant,  after  the  last  addt- 

made  to  it,  and  tint  solemn  league  and  covenant, 
brou"lit  jHTvcution  in  their  train,  and  persecution 
brought,  and  always  did  bring,  hypocrisy  into  the 
church.  National  covenants  could  not  be  enforced 
without  this  aid.  The  knowledge  of  these  covenants 
and  testimonies,  depending,  as  they  do,  on  human 
and  much  controverted  tradition,  are  not  objec: 
divine  faith.  The  reformation  being  solely  founded  on 
the  scripture,  had  nothing  to  do  with  human  authority 
or  human  tradition;  t!.  vg  solely  to  the  apostate 

Roman  Catholic  church,  or  to  such  as  coalesce  with 
her.  Not  only  so,  but  they  are  the  foundation  on 
which  that  church  is  built.  The  reformed  presbytery 
of  Scotland,  I  believe,  did  not  UK  an  so,  but  their  in- 
tention did  not  change  the  principle.  With  respect  to 
the  ;<  as-timed  the  name  of  re- 

formed in  this  country,  if  Mr.  Wylie  speaks  their 
timents,  which   there  is  sufficient  ground   to  presume 
he  does,    they  will  admit  the   <  i  g  de- 

clared himself  in  unison  with  the  political  Christian 
church  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  centuries,  he  has  not 
only  admitted,  but  proposed  as  a  model  for  imitation, 
human  authority  and  tradition,  but  what  went  hand 
and  hand  with  these,  in  its  hi 

and  most    numerous  ramifications,    K 
on  princely  thrones,  Sec.   but  also   actual  lion 

piism  ;   the  eflicacy  of  the  sign  of  the  e 
the  bones   (relics)  of    martyrs,    not  only   to  cure    the 

but  the  body,  and  a  thousand  other  such  thi; 
and,  in  my  opinion,  idolat; 

that,  on  reading  his  book,  I  was  astonished  at  finding, 

that  he  was  not  in  communion  with  the  present  church 

G  g  2 


354  OBSERVATIONS   ON 

of  Rome,  and  still  the  more  astonished  at  his  making 
the  not  burning,  hanging,  or  banishing  such  of  them, 
as  were  in  this  country,  a  reason  for  not  acknowledg- 
ing the  moral  authority  of  the  civil  government  in 
this  country. — The  presbytery  of  Scotland  did  not  re- 
cognize these  catholic  councils  as  their  model. 

The  principle  being  admitted,  why  does  he  de- 
claim and  rail  against  the  superstructure  raised  upon 
it.  I  am  equally  opposed  to  the  foundation  and  the 
superstructure.  I  wish  to  build  on  a  more  sure  foun- 
dation— A  foundation  not  laid  by  man.  I  wish  to  be  a 
member  of  the  church  of  Christ,  enlisted  under  the 
commission  given  to  his  apostles,  and  not  of  any  po- 
litical church.  Yet  if  we  withdraw  from  all  churches 
that  are  in  the  same  degree  corrupt,  we  must  with- 
draw from  the  whole  visible  church  of  Christ. 

It  was  the  doctrine  of  the  reformers,  and  is  the 
doctrine  of  our  Catechism,  that  the  faults  or  errors  of 
those  who  administer  the  ordinances,  do  not  corrupt 
them  to  the  worthy  partakers — therefore,  in  obedience 
to  Christ,  whose  the  ordinances  are,  I  would  partake 
of  them  even  in  a  national  church,  if  I  had  not  access 
to  one  more  pure,  and  if  that  national  church  did  not 
exclude  me  from  her  communion,  by  obliging  me,  in 
order  to  enjoy  it,  to  believe  or  practice  what  I  could 
not  do  with  a  good  conscience. 

In  all  the  views  I  have  been  enabled  to  take  of  the 
church  of  Christ,  I  think  the  period  since  the  reform- 
ed churches  have  become  political  churches,  is  the 
most  singular.  In  the  primitive  church,  and  till  after 
she  apostatized,  schism,  viz.  separation,  was  esteemed 
a  sin  of  a  very  deep  dye.  Since  that  period,  it  is  not 
even  esteemed  *  venal  sin,  except  that  in  the  seven- 


THE   TWO    SON'S   OF    OIL.  355 

tcenth  century  the  civil  authority  punished  as  a  civil 
crime  the  not  attending  on  the  worship  established 
by  political  authority.  I  still  think  separating,  without 
very  sufficient  cause,  is  a  sin,  and  that  wilfully  ne- 
glecting Christ's  ordinances,  without  such  causes  as 
will  justify  us  before  his  judgment  seat,  is  rebellion 
against  his  authority.  Human  creeds  and  confessions 
are  only  rendered  expedient  from  circumstances,  viz. 
from  the  divisions  that  have  taken  place  in  the  church. 
They  were  not  introduced  till  after  the  church  had 
greatly  apostatized  ;  and  even  then,  Dr.  Owen,  one  of 
the  highest  human  authorities,  thinks  they  did  harm 
by  leading  Christians  from  the  study  of  the  scriptures 
themselves,  to  human  authority.  It  was  by  these  means 
that  the  grand  apostacy  was  consummated  ;  and  by 
the  same  means,  when  enforced  by  human  authority, 
the  progress  of  the  reformation  was  checked. 

As  to  myself,  I  approve  of  the  doctrines  of  the 
gospel,  as  laid  down  in  the  Westminster  Confession 
of  Faith  and  Catechism.  I  approve  also  of  presbyte- 
rian  church  government,  as  the  most  agreeable  to 
the  word  of  God,  of  any  form  now  existing  ;  but  would 
not  persecute  such  as  thought  otherwise.  I  certainly, 
with  full  persuasion,  agree  with  all  that  the  apostles 
prescribed  on  that  subject,  as  far  as  I  understand 
them,  and,  weak  as  my  understanding  is,  I  will  say, 
as  Luther  did  about  the  judicial  law  of  Moses,  that 
"  their  understanding  shall  not  govern  mine."  Bless- 
ed be  God,  he  has  given  me  the  scriptures,  address- 
ed to  my  own  conscience,  as  he  did  to  the  Jews,  and 
as  the  apostle  Paul  did  to  the  Romans,  with  certifica- 
tion that  I  should  answer  for  myself  for  the  improve- 
ment of  it.  I  dare  not  trust  to  Mr.  Wylie  to  answer 


356  OBSERVATION*   ON 

for  tne  at  the  day  of  judgment,  nor  would  he  be  admit- 
ted; nay,  none  of  the  standard  general  councils,  nor 
emperors,  who,  agreeable  to  his  principles,  have  rati- 
fied and  added  sanctions  to  the  laws  of  the  most  high 
God,  will  be  admitted  as  advocates  or  mediators  in 
that  awfully  solemn  clay. 

We    have  heard  much  about   judicial   and  stated 
testimonies.    I  ask,  what   does  the    additional  terms 
judicial  and  stated  add  to  the  authority  of  these  testi- 
monies ?  Does  it  give  them  more  authority  than  arises 
simply   from  the  information  they  convey  ?    It  is  my 
opinion  it  does  not.     My  opinion  has  long  been,  that 
synods   had   authority  to  emit    synodical  testimonies 
against  the    errors    which  endangered  the  body  over 
which  they  had  oversight ;  but  though  this  united  tes- 
timony might,  and  ought  to  have  more  general  influ- 
ence, it  had  no  more  authority  than  the  declaration  of 
an  individual  minister  to  his  congregation.     In  short, 
that  the  ministers  of  the  gospel   had  no  authority  to 
make  laws ;  that  the  change  of  a  meeting  from  two  or 
three,  to  a  thousand  meeting  together  at  one  place  or 
time,   made  no   addition  to   their  authority,   because 
nothing  is  submitted  to  their  legislative  discretion  in 
the   New  Testament — but   that   they   should   provide 
that  every  part  of  the  worship  of  God  should,  under 
their  direction,  be  conducted  with  decency  and  order. 
Such,  however,  has  been  the  effect  of  the  application 
of  this  reasonable  and  necessary  authority,  that  many 
of  Christ's  children  have  been  prevented  from  eating 
of  his  bread,  by  the  exercise  of  it.  I  have  here  only  to 
add  my  sentiments,  in  the  words  of  an  eminent  reformer. 
"  First  let  us  hold  this,  that  if  we  see  in  every  fel- 
lowship of  men,  some  policy  to  be  necessary,  that  may 


THE  TWO   SONS  OF   OIL.  o57 

serve  to  nourish  common  peace,  and  to  retain  concord  : 
if  we  sec  that  in  doing  these  things  there  is  alway 
some  orderly  form  which  is  behoveful  for  public  ho- 
nesty, and  for  very  humanity  not  to  be  refused,  the 
ought  chiefly  to  be  observed  in  churches,  which 
are  both  best  maintained  by  a  well  framed  disposition 
of  all  things — and,  A\  ithout  such  agreement,  they  are 
no  churches  at  all.  Therefore,  if  we  will  have  the 
safety  of  the  church  well  provided  for,  we  must  alto- 
gether diligently  procure  that  which  Paul  command- 
cth,  that  all  things  be  done  comely  and  according  to 
order — 1  Cor.  xiv.  40.  But  forasmuch  as  there  is  great 
diversity  in  the  manners  of  men,  so  great  variety  in 
minds,  so  great  disagreement  in  judgments— -neither 
is  there  any  policy  steadfast  enough,  unless  it  be  estab- 
lished by  certain  laws ;  nor  any  orderly  usage  can  be 
:  \  ed,  without  a  certain  appointed  form  :  therefore, 
>ve  are  so  far  off  from  condemning  the  laws  that  are 
profitable  to  this  purpose,  that  we  affirm,  when  those 
be  taken  away,  churches  are  dissolved  from  their  si- 
news, and  utterly  deformed  and  scattered  abroad."— «• 
Calvin'*  Institutions,  -Book  zr.  chaji.  10.  sec.  27. 

Having  shewed  that  neither  by  the  primitive 
church,  nor  by  the  reformers,  was  there  a  perfect 
agreement  in  religious  opinions,  or  uniformity  in  the 
rules  of  decency,  and  order  of  performing  the  worship 
required,  in  order  to  enjoying  communion  with  Christ 
iti  the  ordinances  of  his  own  institution;  that  a  belief 
of  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  gospel,  and  a  cor- 
responding practice,  and  a  submission  to  such  rule  of 
decency  and  order  as  did  not  affect  the  substance  of 
religion,  was  all  that  was  required  by  the  church  at 
the  before  mentioned  periods,  and  all  that  the  mini*- 


35S  OBSERVATIONS  t)N 

ters  of  Christ's  church,  in  any  nation,  or  any  age  of 
the  world,  had,  or  have  a  right  to  require — Having, 
with  the  reformers,  admitted,  that  rules  of  decency 
and  order  may  differ  in  different  particular  churches, 
according  to  circumstances  ;  and  that  particular 
churches  may  differ  greatly  in  purity,  in  doctrine,  and 
discipline,  and  be  very  defective  in  both,  and  yet  be 
worthy  of  communion,  as  is  evident  from  the  case  of 
the  seven  churches  of  Asia,  to  whom  John  the  divine 
wrote  his  epistles,  and  the  churches  of  Corinth,  Gal- 
latia,  5cc.  to  whom  Paul  wrote,  and  from  the  opinion 
of  the  learned  Durham,  and  other  approved  commen.- 
tators  on  these  epistles ;  and  that  the  apostles  called 
these  churches  to  repentance,  and  gave  instruction 
with  respect  to  doctrine,  discipline,  and  order,  but  did 
not  call  on  them  to  separate  from  each  other  in  the  same 
church,  nor  on  the  more  pure  churches  to  separate  from 
the  less  pure,  but  reproved  such  divisions — Having 
shewed  also,  from  the  examples  of  the  reformed  and  as- 
sociate presbyteries,  who,  after  having  separated  from 
the  established  church  of  Scotland,  separated  from  each 
other,  while  they  were  under  no  restraint  from  civil  go- 
vernment; to  which  I  could  have  added  numerous  other 
examples,  to  prove  that  perfect  uniformity  is  not  at- 
tainable in  the  visible  church,  and  cannot  be  attained, 
while  all  know  but  in  part,  and  while  every  man  must 
account  unto  God  for  his  own  knowledge  of  divine 
truth,  and  his  use  of  the  means  to  attain  that  know- 
ledge— Having,  however,  admitted  that  the  ordinances 
being  Christ's,  that,  therefore,  the  unworthiness  of 
those  who  administer  them,  does  not  corrupt  the  or- 
dinances to  the  worthy  partakers ;  but  that  where  any 
particular  church  so  far  separates  herself  from  the 


THE    TWO    SONS   OF   OIL.  359 

church  of  Christ,  which  is  one  through  the  whole 
world,  and  whose  signs  are,  as  Calvin  saith,  the  pure 
preaching  of  the  word  and  ministration  of  the  sacra- 
* ;  and,  as  he  adds,  wheresoever  these  signs  arc, 
we  ought  not  to  depart  from  that  fellowship;  that 
though  some  faults  creep  in,  we  ought  not  to  cast  off 
that  communion,  because  those  ministrations  are  al- 
ways attended  with  some  profit.  I  say,  having  stated 
these  particulars — 

I  now  ask,  and  ask  it  with  the  utmost  seriousness, 
on  what  authority  the  numerous  sects  of  presbyterians, 
who  not  only  profess  to  adhere  to  the  scriptures  as 
the  only  infallible  rule,  but  also  to  the  Westminster 
Confession  and  Catechisms,  as  a  sound  exposition  of 
scripture,  do  refuse  to  hold  communion  with  each 
other  in  the  ordinances  instituted  and  enjoined  by 
their  common  Lord,  and  divine  prophet,  and  king 
over  his  own  house  ?  Not  only  so,  but  why  do  they 
forbid  those  who  adhere  to  them,  even  to  hear  the 
gospel  preached,  or  be  present  at  the  administration 
(jf  the  sealing  ordinances  of  his  institution,  by  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel  lawfully  called  and  duly  qualified  t 
Not  because  of  error  in  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel ; 
not  because  of  superstition  or  idolatry  in  the  worship; 
not  bec:»'  :.y  qualifying  conditions  enjoined  by 

human  authority — but  because  they  do  not  approve  ot 
the  terms  which  they  themselves  have  enjoined  by 
human  authority,  supported  by  human  and  fallible  tra- 
dition, thus  putting  their  church  on  the  very  same 
foundation  on  which  the  church  of  Rome  is  built. 
Every  qualifying  condition,  added  to  those  which  Christ 
has  himself  prescribed,  is  an  usurpation  of  his  autho- 
rity, and  is  the  same  in  principle,  though  differing  .in 


360  OBSERVATIONS   ONr 

degree,  with  the  church  of  Rome.  The  beginning*  of 
the  grand  apostacy  were  small,  and  believed  to  be  be- 
neficial. When  they  were  introduced,  all  were  believed 
to  receive  benefit  by  them,  and  made  their  own  opi- 
nion of  the  benefits  they  received  the  rule  for  further 
additions  of  their  own  inventions  ;  and  even  now,  when 
those  inventions  in  the  worship  of  God  have  become 
innumerable,  the  members  of  that  church  believe  they 
receive  benefit  from  them,  that  they  are  followed  by 
the  blessing  of  Christ,  8cc.  The  reformers  believed 
this  to  be  a  delusion,  and  that  Christ  never  conferred 
his  blessing  but  with  ordinances  of  his  own  institution, 
and  for  the  purposes  of  his  own  appointment.  Our 
own  opinion  of  receiving  benefit  is  a  very  deceitful 
rule,  because  we  are  very  liable  to  be  self-deceived. 

The  present  divided  state  of  the  church  of  Christ, 
even  of  such  sects  as  profess  the  same  faith,  the  same 
worship,  discipline,  and  government,  has,  for  half  a 
century,  exercised  my  mind  with  serious  reflections, 
notwithstanding  my  early  prepossessions,  from  educa- 
tion, in  favour  of  local  terms  of  communion  instituted 
by  human  fallible  authority,  and  only  known  to  me  by 
human  tradition.  I  could  not  silence  my  convictions  so 
far,  but  what  I  saw  that  those  things  were  not  calcu- 
lated for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ,  which  is 
one  in  every  nation  under  heaven,  where  the  good  seed 
of  the  word  has  been  planted,  but  to  impair  the  unity 
of  it ;  that  if  Christians  in  one  nation  had  authority  to 
institute  peculiar  terms  of  communion,  every  other 
nation  had  the  same  authority ;  that,  consequently, 
Christ  would  have  many  mystical  bodies,  instead  of 
one.  Nor  could  I  avoid  observing,  that  all  those  exer- 
tions to  promote  tUe  union  of  national  churches,  upt 


TMK  TWO  SONS  OF  OIL.  3f>l 

having  the  authority  of  Christ,  did  not  receive  his 
blessing,  but  became  the  source  of  new  divisions  and 
subdivisions,  and  of  hatred,  strife,  and  debate,  instead 
of  promoting  the  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of 
peace. 

The  old  dissenters,  greatly  agitated  by  persecu- 
tion and  tyrannical  oppression,  which  Solomon  says 
•will  render  wise  men  mad — and  being,  on  the  revolu- 
tion which  was  introduced  by  king  William,  left  for 
seventeen  years  without  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  had 
to  grope  their  way  in  the  dark — they  kept  societies, 
and  excluded  from  their  societies  all  who  would  hear 
presbyterian  ministers  preach,  or  be  married  by  them 
—when  they  got  a  minister  in  Scotland,  their  people 
had  to  go  to  Scotland  to  get  married,  just  as  if  mar- 
riage had  been  a  gospel  ordinance.  On  this  I  need 
make  no  further  remarks. 

I  have  been  informed,  and  I  have  reason  to  believe 
it  is  true,  that  Mr.  Wylie,  and  the  sect  to  which  he 
belongs,  hold  all  their  people  cens«rable  for  even 
hearing  the  gospel  preached  by  a  minister  of  another 
presbyterian  sect.  The  consequence  is,  that  as  their 
people  are  few  in  number,  and  much  dispersed,  many 
of  them  do  not  see  nor  hear  their  ministers  more  than 
once  or  twice  a  year.  In  this  situation,  the  pastoral 
duties  of  visitation,  catechising,  Sec.  cannot  be  per- 
formed, nor  the  characters  of  the  people  known  to  the 
minister  ;  the  people,  afraid  of  church  censure,  stay 
at  home,  and  undoubtedly,  on  this  principle,  arc  en- 
couraged to  believe,  that  all  who  attend  the  public 
worship,  from  which  they,  by  the  rules  of  their  church 
are  restrained,  are  on  the  high  road  to  hell ;  or  other- 
wise, that  their  own  testimony  for  the  glory  of  God, 
H  h 


369  OBSERVATIONS    OK 

in  their  intention,  is  of  greater  importance  than  the 
salvation  of  their  own  souls  ;  to  the  appointed  means 
of  which,  they  prefer  their  own  testimony,  founded  on 
'human  authority  and  fallible  tradition. 

I  do  not  mean  to  charge  all  the  presbyterian  sects 
in  this  country  with  unchurching  all  other  churches 
who  do  not  agree  with  their  own  particular  order. 
The  German,  the  Low  Dutch  presbyterians,  and  ge- 
neral assembly,  formerly  the  synod  of  New- York  and 
Philadelphia,  and  the  associate  reformed  synod,  do  not 
censure  their  people  for  attending  on  the  ministra- 
tions of  gospel  ordinances,  by  lawfully  called  ministers 
of  other  sects;  nor,  as  far  as  I  know,  for  partaking  in 
Christ's  sealing  ordinances,  administered  by  them.  I 
well  know  that  it  is  not  esteemed  censurable  by  the 
two  last,  for  I  have  frequently,  as  opportunity  offered, 
communicated  with  both,  and  still  do  so.  The  ordi- 
nances are  Christ's,  and  not  theirs,  and  neither  of 
them  put  any  bars  of  human  invention  in  the  way. 

In  doing  so,  I  am  not  intimidated  with  the  charge 
of  being  a  latitudinarian,  for  I  take  the  scriptures  for 
my  alone  rule  of  orthodoxy  ;  and  protestant  creeds,  8cc. 
enly  as  they  are,  a  sound  exposition  of  the  scriptures. 
Nor  am  I  afraid  of  the  frightful  name,  sectarian.  This 
term  is,  like  toleration,  relative  to  political  church  esta- 
blishments. In  some  of  the  testimonies,  and  other 
writings  of  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries, 
the  reader  would  be  induced  to  believe,  that  secta- 
rians were  abominable  heretics  ;  whereas,  the  name 
includes  all  such  as  differed  from  the  politically  esta- 
blished church.  All  the  dissenters  from  the  establish- 
ed churches  in  England  and  Scotland,  whether  they 
be  orthodox  presbyterians,  or  heterodox  Socinians, 


THIT  T\VQ  SONS  OF  orr.  So<5, 

are  equally  sectarians  ;  formerly  they  would  have  beeit 
called  schismatics.  The  reformers  were  so  caJled  by 
the  dominant  apostate  church,  but  the  name  secturi  m 
has  no  meaning,  as  applied  to  this  country,  because 
no  national  establishment  of  one  religious  sect  over 
another  exists  in  it.  Schisms,  i.  e.  divisions  of  th« 
church  of  Christ,  without  sufficient  scriptural  founda- 
tion, no  doubt  abound.  Most  of  these  divisions,  how- 
ever, have  been  imported  from  Europe  ;  but  to  decide 
on  these,  no  high  commission  courts,  star  chambers, 
or  other  courts  of  inquisition,  are  in  this  country  con- 
stituted by  civil  government.  They  arc  left  to  the 
proper  tribunal — .the  judgment  seat  of  Christ. 

I  conclude,  by  declaring  my  wish  to  reject,  as  ex- 
crescences, all  conditions  of  communion  depending  on 
political  ecclesiastical  establishments,  and  to  be  a 
member  of  the  church  of  Christ,  founded  on  the  doc- 
trines of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  agreeable  to  the 
rules  prescribed  in  the  New  Testament,  which  con- 
tains the  religion  of  Christians.  On  this  ground,  I 
know  nothing  of  sufficient  importance,  to  perpetuate 
a  separation  between  the  different  sects  of  presbyte- 
rians  in  this  country,  including  the  New  England 
churches,  from  communion  with  each  other,  and  in 
this  happy  situation,  strengthening  each  others  hands 
in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  instead  of  making  each 
other  offenders  for  a  word.  There  is  reasonable  ground 
to  believe,  that  they  all  endeavour  to  walk  according 
to  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  the  pillar  and  ground  of 
truth.  Who,  or  what  is  he,  that  censures  or  reprove* 
Christians  for  seeking  for  edification  from  other  quar- 
ters, than  from  the  demagogue  who  wishes  to  keep 
him  in  bondage  ?  He  must  be  more  than  an  apostle. 


364  OBSERVATIONS  ON 

The  apostles  did  not  do  so.  Christ  commanded  to 
search  the  scriptures,  and  so  did  the  disciples,  and 
commended  such  as  did  so. 

The  great  object  of  the  important  doctrine  taught 
them,  was,  to  fortify  the  Christian  converts  against 
will-worship  (called  the  rudiments  of  the  world)  and 
against  implicit  faith  in  human  authority  and  human 
tradition,  which,  as  was  foreseen  by  the  divinely  in- 
spired apostle  (Acts  xx.  29.  2  Thess.  ii.  3,  12.  1  Tim. 
iv.  1,  3.  2  Tim.  iii.  9.  and  2  Pet.  ii.  1,  3.)  soon  defaced 
the  purity  and  beauty  of  the  church.  Implicit  faith  in 
human  authority  and  tradition  became  the  handmaid 
of  superstition,  ignorance,  tyranny,  persecution,  licen- 
tiousness, and  even  of  atheism. 

Mr.  Wylie,  however,  does  not  consider  these  cove- 
nants, the  knowledge  of  which  we  receive  only  by  hu- 
man, doubtful,  and  much  controverted  tradition,  as  o£ 
human  invention.  In  the  Sons  of  Oil  (p.  91 — 93.)  he 
puts  them  on  an  equal  footing  with  God*s  covenants 
with  Noah,  with  Abraham,  with  Jacob,  with  Israel  at 
Mount  Sinai,  and  the  renewal  of  that  covenant,  under 
the  direction  of  Moses,  by  immediate  divine  inspira- 
tion, in  the  plains  of  Moab,  8cc.  The  difference,  how- 
ever, is  this — The  covenants  which  he  introduces  as 
examples,  were  expressly  dictated  by  Jehovah,  and 
are  handed  clown  to  us  by  infallible  inspiration.  Thoso 
which  Mr.  Wylie  puts  on  an  equal  footing  with  them, 
were  the  invention  of  fallible,  short-sighted,  and  self- 
seeking  men,  and  the  knowledge  of  them  to  us  depend- 
ing on  the  same  authority  with  the  Jewish  and  popish 
traditions.  I  have  been  often  astonished,  when  I  re- 
flected on  the  subject,  to  think  how  it  ever  came  into 
the,  minds  of  pious  and  zealous  Christians,  who  con- 


THE  fWo  90*3  OF  OIL.  365 

tended  against  P°PeiY»  to  assume  the  very  foundation 
on  which  tin-  grand  apostacy  was  erected.  Trusting  in 
the  promise  of  the  church's  divine  Head,  that  he  will 
be  with  it  to  the  end  of  the  world,  and  that  the  gates  of 
hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it,  I  have  the  same  confi- 
dence of  the  accomplishment  of  this  divine  promise, 
that  I  have  of  the  promises  for  our  own  salvation, 
through  the  righteousness  and  atonement  of  Jesus, 
who  came  to  u-rs,  and  to  destroy  the  works 

of  the  devil.  I  rejoice,  and  am  thankful,  that  my  lot 
was  cast  among  the  reformed  churches — however  im- 
perfectly they  have  been  hitherto  reformed,  it  was  a 
happy  and  a  blessed  reformation.  I  trust  and  believe, 
however,  that  it  was  only  a  prelude  to  a  reformation 
much  more  advanced,  yet  not  perfect — perfection  will 
not  be  attained  by  the  rhiHxh  militant.  I  am  far  from 
complaining  of  the  day  of  small  things  ;  the  reforma- 
tion, compared  with  what  had  been  enjoyed  for  more 
than  a  thousand  years  preceding,  was  a  day  of  great 
things,  for  which  I  am  sincerely  thankful. 

I  conclude  with  a  quotation  from  the  very  learned 
and  orthodox  Dr.  Witsius : 

Vol.  iii.  p.  346 — "  But  there  is  a  king,  who  hat 
•r  over  conscience,  and  Clod  only  is  such  a  king: 
end  there  is  a  king  who  lias  power  over  the  body,  and 
such  are  the  supreme  rulers  of  this  world."  Speaking 
of  Christian  liberty,  in  five  particulars,  he  says,  (p. 
368.)  "  Freedom  from  human  empire,  or  constraint, 
with  respect  to  di\  hip,  and  the  actions  of  re- 

ligion, as  such  :   for  God  ul  iowinion  over  the 

conscience — JMPTS  i\.  12.  Nor  is  it  lawful  for  the  sons 
of  God,  who  know  tl.  a  with  % 

price,  to  become  the  servants  of  men — 1  Cor.  vii.  IS. 
H  h  2- 


366  OBSERVATIONS,   ScC. 

Mat.  xv.  9.  Col.  ii.  18,  22,  23.  Though  formerly  the 
scribes  and  pharisees  sat  in  Moses'  chair,  yet  God 
never  gave  them  a  power  to  load  the  conscience  with 
new  institutions,  beyond  and  besides  the  law  of  God,  to 
which  all  were  equally  bound — Deut.  iv.  2.  and  xii. 
34.  All  the  authority  of  the  doctors  of  the  law  tended 
to  keep  the  people  to  the  observance  of  the  law  of 
Moses ;  Christ  justly  rebuked  them,  when  they  went 
beyond  that.  Whatever  mail  has  devised  from  his  own  in- 
vention, in  matters  of  religion,  has  ever  been  displeasing 
to  God.  Freedom  from  the  obligation  to  things  indif- 
ferent, which  are  neither  good  nor  bad  in  themselves, 
and  which  God  has  neither  commanded  nor  forbidden. 
When  the  knowledge  and  sense  of  this  liberty  is  want- 
ing, the  conscience,  in  that  case,  is  disquieted,  and 
superstition  has  neither  measure  nor  end — Roni.  xiv. 
5,  14*,  23.  The  possession,  however,  is  to  be  distin- 
guished from  the  use  ;  the  right,  from  the  exercise  of 
it:  the  former  ought  ever  to  remain  inviolable  to  the 
conscience,  the  latter  to,  be  circumscribed  by  the  rules 
of  prudence  and  charity,  to  avoid  giving  offence  tq 
weak  brethren — -1  Cor.  yi.  12.  2  Cor.  x.  12.  Rom. 
xiv.  1U," 


FINIS-. 


24       1 6  for  as  read  or. 

41         6  from  the  foot,  for  Rabijlon  read 
50       15  forfoundf,!  read  roiifnnntled. 

ti  from  the  foot,  for  I'uroiti  read  Vanini. 
S"     5,  6  for  stone  read  .y/rrm-. 
72        1  *  insert  not. 

77         2  for  Hale*  read  //oM<r». 
91       23  for  country  read  century. 
95         9  and  els«-\\  hen-,  for  Siriwu*  read  TAcinins. 
:\\  ftx>t,  for  Constant™*  wad  Conttante. 


The  following  Errata  were  received  from  the  author 
after  the  edition  was  printed  off,  viz. 

Pcp-e.  Line. 

126      10  for  commwmn  read  compultion. 
132      15        Or*r  read  Aiier. 
19        G««er  read  Geser. 

290        2  from  bottom,  for  persecution  read  /*r/ecfc <?:.- 
293        2  or  ^^  °*' 

341        9  for  Kenioick  read  Rtirwicl. 
354      15       fAtf  f«m»  read  some. 


•••jn 
•  iilaCi'l    'y». 

:.'! 
264         9trrmi  ; 

:  /^*r 
269          1  :,d  maintained. 

ome. 
289       16  omit  Ml  hut  the  vuml  entitled. 

,  /»'  r/o//,  and  .1  iwwi  in  the 
following  1 

' 

14  from  ; 

8     -         -     after  fit mirt »  add  <AtM  </»?//. 
346         7  after  started  insert  «/». 

5  from  foot,  iur  on  read  as. 


366  OBSBRVATIOXS,  8cC. 

Mat.  xv.  9.  Col.  ii.  18,  22,  23.  Though  formerly  the 
scribes  and  pharisees  sat  in  Moses*  chair,  yet  God 
never  gave  them  a  power  to  load  the  conscience  with 
new  institutions,  beyond  and  besides  the  law  of  God,  to 
which  all  were  equally  bound — Deut.  iv.  2.  and  xii. 
34.  All  the  authority  of  the  doctors  of  the  law  tended 
to  keep  the  people  to  the  observance  of  the  law  of 
Moses ;  Christ  justly  rebuked  them,  when  they  went 
beyond  that.  Whatever  man  has  devised  from  his  own  in- 


Cor.   vi.    12.    2  Cor.  x.   13.  Rom. 
xiv.  1U." 


FINIS. 


ERRATA. 

Un«. 

\  6  for  a*  read  or. 

41         fi  from  UK-  fooi,  for  Babylon  read  Egypt. 
50       15  far  f'juruIr-,1  read  confounded. 

6  from  the  font,  for  I'uroni  read 
5,  6  forarori'-  read  x  trine. 
72        M  lft<  r  »«  invert  «of. 
77  .;/•»  read  Hobbet. 

91       2."  for  country  read  century. 
95         9  :ii)'l  rlsrul'tTr,  for  Siriniw!  read 
103        11   from  foot,  for  f  'onttuntiutn.-M\  Corwtantc. 
1  ( 18       10  fiTiin  f.  iot,  for  immortal  mid  intpirtd. 
Ill          9  tiir  //  :  ll'iJt/iart. 

11J          9  iron i  tout,  for  7ffl*  rt-:ul  U.T. 

'•cln'cd  read  blessed. 

117  11  &.  7  -         -     «'«>r«*  read  or. 

118  4     -         -    strike  out  one. 
IK  licfoiv  /.,-//  insert  is. 

149       16  from  foot,  for  act  read  or//. 

15     -         -     IK- fore  commandments  insert  ttn. 
:    \        II     -          -     af i  ing  insert  njfers. 

out  //ir. 

3  for  question  read  question*. 
245        15  i'i  ado*. 

rfft, 

.">  iron.  '     v-  read  fVnr. 

5     -  ''minions  place  a/>cr/W,  and  a  rommn  af- 

;n  tin-  following  line, 
-crt  tit  far. 

: 

mprvoing. 

264          1J  from  •  /V/f. 

i  /o#/. 

.  ntained. 

f/ir  Kumr. 
289       '  'itled. 

•/,  and  a  cori'nri  in  ihr 

I  »\"air/i. 

.  us. 

14  from 

8     -         -    after  Stuart*  add  Mu*  f/, 
346         7  after  started  insert  M/». 

5  from  foot,  lor  on  ixad  o». 


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